Jenks
by Ahmenet
Summary: What do you say to a friend when you can't say no? Rachel Morgan series Spoilers! For safty sake I'm saying there are same sex lemons. Though if you read the series you already know it's a possibility.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The coffin was a long thin jewlery box made of Alder Buckthorn. The sheen currently red and going to black. Keasley carved it that morning with gloved arthritic hands as pixie children cried. It was lovely, with it's bed of soft green leaves plucked from the many trees surrounding the wall of the garden. But not nearly as lovely as the woman who lay in it. Matalina was an angel in life. Fierce, protective, beautiful and loving... death couldn't seem to strip her of any of it.

She'd made it through the winter though her health had been iffy. She hadn't had the strength to chase after the children as she normally did. Jenks had taken on the role with only a few bumps and Ivy and I had helped as best we could. When spring started peeking through the clouds and she'd not gone into hybernation we sighed in relief only to have our hopes smashed with the new thaw. She'd caught fever over the last cold night one week ago. She stayed awake for three days talking to her husband and wispering things none of us could hear. She fell asleep on the fourth day and Jenks took her into the garden where their stump sat and hadn't come back out until this morning. Jenks song, broken and stilted with sobs, wound through the house we knew she was gone.

Jenks lay the last of the golden petals over her and stepped back before turning to look as Ceri and I. His small angular face was pale and streaked with tears. He stepped into the hand I offered and kept his back to the small coffin as Ceri put the lid over it. I wasn't sure what we were going to do next. Jenks had said they didn't usually bury their dead this way. In fact, I got the impression they didn't bury them at all. But Matalina had wanted this done for all of us. She'd wanted to be buried in the garden that was hers. No just by strength of arms but also legally on paper. We were building a pixie graveyard in the garden. Ivy had already looked into a coverstone for the small patch of dirt. One where names could be added to honor those buried there. It was a very human thing to do and surprized me that pixies would considered it. But then we didn't treat them like insects but as friends. I guess no one likes to be forgotten.

"Would you like to help, Jenks?" Ceri whispered as she lifted the little box.

Jenks looked back at the small hole in the ground and shook his head as he turned away. "No." The low whine of his wings stilled as I looked to see them shifting from shades of blue to black and back again. "I'm going to check on Jih and the kids." He lifted in a flurry of dragonfly wings and set off for the house.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" I asked as I watched Ceri moved the dirt over the tiny box and press it firmly to the ground.

"Death is simply a way of life. He's seen it before and will most likely see it again in his lifetime. He's embracing a new tradition that bridges a gap between his pixie family and the one he shares with you. He's not sure where he will go from here and he's frightened and angry. Give him time to adjust. In time he'll understand."

The last of the dirt was patted into place and I lifted the small stone that would mark the grave until Ivy's cover came. Ceri placed it at the head of the grave and I stared at her as she stood and clasped her hands together.

"Understand what? There's nothing to understand. First his son runs off with a thief **I **introduced him to and now his wife dies when their youngest is just turning three. You're right. He's angry and hurting and you can't adjust to it or understand it. You just have to live with it or get over it."

She gave me a long look then smiled sadly as she handed me a small sheath of paper. "Or run from it."

I watched her back as she retreated to the corner gate then opened the paper and read the contents. It didn't take me long to see what she meant. "Oh, Jenks." With a sigh I wiped the tears from my eyes and stood, brushing the dirt from my knees. I needed to talk to Ivy. I really wasn't sure how we were going to handle this one. Because I wasn't at all sure, no matter what the reason, I could say no to Jenks request.


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to put up my disclaimer on the first chapter. The disclaimer for the second will serve for the first as well. And so on and so forth.**

**I do not own anything Kim Harrison does. If I did I'm sure it wouldn't be nearly as good. But here's hoping.**

Ivy stood at the kitchen counter in front of the coffee maker. He hands holding her body still as she lean, eyes closed, into the cabinets. It was the pose she assumed when she was fighting for control and I wondered what had set her off. I moved cautiosly closer until I saw the picture by her coffee mug. A small sound escaped in a hitch as I tried to take in air, Ivy simply moved the picture out of view.

"I still remember when he dyed his hair for the first time. I told he he looked like a New Kids On The Block extra and he flipped me off with a smile." Ivy laughed and shook her head as she turned. "I'd forgoten I had this until today."

She held out the picture to me and I couldn't take it. It was too much for me to handle with everything else going through my mind. Too many questions unanswered. Too many people to miss. So I smiled and shook my head and shrugged my shoulder toward the next room. "Let's play a game. I need to talk to you about something." She gave me that quizzical stare but followed as I headed for the pool table in the sactuary. Yet another memory.

The smell of smoke and vampire still lingered in the cloth of the tattered pool table. After Piscary's triumphant return and equally celebrated demise, Ivy and Jenks had gotten the table from the Piscary's Pizza before it was hauled away to the dump. He hadn't wanted it anyway and I couldn't think of a better birthday present. It was a reminder of good times. And I, for one, was glad to have it as Ivy racked the balls and set up the shot.

"So what do you want to talk about?" she stepped back to let me take the break shot.

I lined up with the cue and hit. The little white ball hit the triangle of colors and sent them scattering around the table. The stripped seven ball went into the side pocket and I moved around the table for my next shot.

"Rachel?" I looked at her from the corner of my eye and missed the 4 strip in the corner. "What's up?"

"Jenks." She nodded and I continued. "I think Jenks may be planning something."

Her shot hit the corner pocket and side pocket and she was facing me before I realized she's finished. Her eyes dialated black and her body slipped into slow graceful lines. "What kind of something?" she purred.

I shivered but didn't back away. She and I had talked long and hard about a blood balance. She wasn't going to give until I did. I just wasn't sure I could give quite what she wanted. Though staring at her in her costom leather and heels I wasn't sure why not. She was in motion by the time I came back to myself and I cleared my throat to let her know I was paying attention.

"Ceri gave me a spell in the garden. It's a variation on the size spell we did last spring. It's a permanent size spell. He wants me to make his big permanently." I watched her as she thought it over. As her eyes slowly showed the ring of growing brown. Then a flash of ... something. To fast to make out. "He promised Matalina he'd take care of the young ones until there were old enough to make it on their own. I heard him promise her."

She moved back to the pool table with precision grace and lifted the stick. "And what if he dies next spring? What will the kids do then?" She lined up the shot and took it as I gaped at her. "What if something happens to us and he's too small to defend the garden and the church?" The ball rolled smoothly into the corner pocket as she straightened. "What difference does it make if he takes care of them big or small?" She lifted her head and looked at me. Her eyes clear and calm. "Would it really be so bad if he was big?"

I stared at her and realized that she was right. It wouldn't make a difference. He'd still be able to take care of his kids. He'd be in a better position to help us. We'd miss the stealthy input but two of the younger boys were training to be runners. They wanted to when they saw all the things there father could do that winter with the new security we'd installed. They were doing well and would make great backup. But...

"Look, I know Ceri adores Jenks but I'm not sure this spell is safe. It's dark and I've never seen it in one of my spell books. I have no doubt it came from that monstrosity Al took last year. And you I don't want to get him riled up again."

"I thought you said he was in the 'everafter' jail?" She lined up another shot. The balls were slowly dwindling from the table.

"I did but that doesn't mean he won't find a way out of it. And if Newt shows, my butts gonna get kicked all the way back to the Turn." I leaned on the table as she rounded to stand on it's opposite side. My fingers brushed the green felt and I breathed in the scent of vampire, smoke and Ivy.

"Are you afraid of the imbalance?" I heard the balls crack against one another and felt the sharp kick as one made contact with the side before gliding into the pocket.

"Hell yes! Anyone with common sense would be, but..." I turned to see her staring at me with dull dispationate eyes. "...I don't know if I can tell Jenks no. No matter what the danger or the cost. I just don't know."

She studied me for a moment longer then bent to take a side shot. The ball slid home and she moved next to me to take the last shot. She'd sunk every ball as we played and the only one left was the eight ball. It was sitting just off from the left side pocket but the cue was in the wrong position for the shot. I studied the shot for a moment, remembering a similar shot that Kisten had played months before. He cursed a blue streak when he missed and I laughed as I'd chided him. All he'd done was wrap his arms around me and give me a hug. He gave the best hugs. I missed him. I missed my dad. I missed being held.

"Rachel?" Ivy stood next to me. A small space between our shoulders as she waited for me to answer. She put up with a lot from me. And she was a good friend. I reached around and put my arm at her waist. Pulling us together from shoulder to hip. I felt her arm slid over my waist and knew she understood. The crinkle of the picture in her pocket was a soft backdrop to the silence we stood in.

"If he's big, I can't hold them anymore. I remember his eyes when he tried to comfort them. When all they could do was cry. Sometimes words aren't enough. Sometimes you need to be held. I don't care about the imbalance. I don't care about the demons... okay that's not true, but I don't care as much about the demons." I turned my head to look in Ivy's pale face. Her eyes were bright and I realized she had tears shimmering at the edges. "I'd give anything to be held by my father again. To be held my someone who didn't ask for something in return. I can't take that away from his kids. And I can't take that away from him."

She smiled as tears slid down her face and I wondered if anyone but Kisten had ever held her without expecting something in return. As I wrapped my other arm over her shoulder and pulled her into a light embrace made to sooth and comfort I thought, maybe one other person had.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own anything Rachel Morgan. But if I did, no one I liked would die.**

**Now on to the next chapter.**

The buzzing of dragonfly wings had me pulling back from our hug. Ivy let me go reluctantly and turned her face to the pool table before I could see her eyes. No doubt her pupils were dilated from our mixed scent. She shot the eight into the side pocket just as Jih came into the room. She zipped from side to side in a confusing flurry and I wondered what had pushed her from grieving to nervous. The paper in my hand made a soft crinkling noise and I stiffened. Jenks.

"Ms. Morgan, have you seen my father? He left some time ago and none of the boys can find him. The triplets are upset and no one can console them except for father." Her wings were a blur as she bounced on the air in front of me. So upset she couldn't even hover in one place. "I just came from Ceri and he wasn't at Mr. Keasley's. I can't think where he's gone."

Ivy moved up to my side and reached for the light to turn it off. "Don't worry, Jih," Ivy consoled, "He's not gone far. We'll find him." She made her way to the sanctuary and the front of the church. I offered Jih a hand and she landed, ringing her hands in her apron.

"She's right. Don't worry. Go take care of the babies and we'll look for your dad. He won't go far." Not as long as he wants me to do this spell, I thought.

She lifted off and hovered as I went to grab my purse and head for the door. Ivy was grabbing her helmet and we made our way out the door. Once on the steps she sat it behind the bushes.

"It's not like they aren't going to notice your bike is still here." I smiled and she narrowed her eyes.

"I just realized he wouldn't go that far but if I need it I don't want it sitting out in the open and I don't want to go all the way back to the closet to get it out again." She smoothed her hands down her leather pants and started down the stairs. I swallowed and followed after her. "So where do you think he'd go?" Her hip cocked, she turned to look at me with level eyes. It was after two in the afternoon. Jenks and the older kids hadn't been to sleep yet. Most likely Jih would get them to nap now but Jenks was running on adrenaline. To be honest, I wasn't sure where to look.

"Guess we start walking. There's a small park down the road. He might be there in the pond garden. I've seen him go that way from time to time." I sighed and started walking. Ivy followed close at my side but remained stone faced and tense. After two blocks I stopped and looked at her. "You're just mad cause you haven't got time to plan this out." Then I remembered she had gone for the door first. I frowned. "You can't have had time to plan this. You've only known about the spell for 30 minutes and Jenks can't have been gone for more than 45."

She raised a superior brow. I really hated people who could do that. "Maybe your impulsive nature is rubbing off on me."

There as a clatter of wings then a light tap on my head. "Then the world is doomed."

I jumped and winced as Jenks pulled my hair before he fell off my head. "Tinks titties, Rache! Give a man some warning!" He moved to hover in front of me. Hands on hips with his red hat askew on his head. I reached up and gently tipped the cap straight. Jenks didn't even move. I'd never thought about how much he trusted me.

"Jih's looking for you." That was all Ivy said. From the look on Jenks face you'd think she'd called him a fairy whore with bug breath.

"I haven't been gone long enough for things to fall apart! If she can't keep an eye on the little ones with the help of the boys then maybe she doesn't need that garden at Keasleys! Maybe she should rethink taking on that buck for the cemetery!" He was angry. So angry his wings were a black blur.

"Jenks, that's not fai..." I stopped in mid word as he rounded on me.

"They can't depend on me forever! They have to grow up and deal with the fact that we won't always be here to make it easy or right! I can't... I can't... I..." his words trailed off and he started to slump. Ivy caught him in her palm as he started to fall. he slumped with his legs bent indian style and his face in his hands. Ivy didn't waste time as a few curtains pulled aside and faces peeked out to see what a witch, a vampire and a pixie were doing on the sidewalk at two in the afternoon.

"We'll have Bourbon and honey and you can tell us where you were and why and what you were thinking getting Ceri to find a spell that will put more black on Rachels soul instead of taking care of your babies like you promised your wife." Ivy strode with purpose down the sidewalk then yelp and stuck her finger in her mouth.

"Bitch", Jenks mumbled as he landed on my shoulder and settled in the same dejected position. But Ivy was right. This wasn't like Jenks at all. He was loyal to a fault. He took care of you even if you didn't want him to. He didn't shirk his duty to his family or his friends. What was wrong with him?

**It's a short chapter but all will be revealed soon... I hope. Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own the stories of Kim Harrison... and I cry about it every night.**

**Thanks to those who have looked at this story. I'm new to this and I appreciate any support.**

There was a Beemer parked in front of the church. A ghost gray Beemer. I gritted my teeth and felt Ivy stiffen beside me. It was still idling as though the occupant were waiting for us to come up. If he thought I was coming over there to chat he could wait till the worlds collided. Thinking back on how much Trent Kalamack feared demons, she was pretty sure he wouldn't wait that long. It made her smile.

"What's Quen doing here?" Jenks had been so still on my shoulder I had thought he was asleep or at least not paying that much attention. But I should have known better. Jenks didn't miss much. No, that was my department. I hadn't even considered that it wouldn't be Trent. I should have realized when it wasn't the Limo. Trent wasn't allowed to drive. Again, I smiled. It was the petty things that sometimes made life great.

Ivy was looking suspiciously at me when I turned my head. "What are you smiling about?" she asked. Her slightly tilted eyes narrowing on me.

"She's probably thinking nasty thoughts about Trent." Jenks chimed in. I stiffened and the horrified look on my face actually made him laugh a little. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Rache. I was thinking more like a piano had fallen on his head or something." I heard him muttered a particularly harsh explicative about his famous ancestors private areas and turned back in time to see Quen climb from the car carrying a pot.

"What is..." Ivy stared at the plant coming out of the car that wasn't just a plant. It was a Japanese Cherry Tree. Why was he carrying a cherry tree?

We moved closer to the church, watching as Quen wrestled the tree from the car. It had obviously been sitting in the floor board but he seemed to be having trouble getting it out of the car without bending it or dumping dirt on the seats. It would have been funny if I'd known why he was here. I heard a sniff and glanced from the train wreck in front of me to Jenks. He was smiling, almost laughing, but there were fresh tear tracks on his face as he watched Quen finally get the tree out of the car with as little dirt spilled as possible. I looked up as Quen straightened, having seen us on the sidewalk, and stared at his from across the road. We all just stood there looking at each other for a minute. Silent and waiting. I thought about a thousand things to tell him. I recognized that tree. It had been in a small nursery area of Trents gardens. There had been a few. They'd have transplanted them to another part of the garden when they figured out where they wanted them to go. At least I guess that's what they'd do. I'd never tried to move a tree. But if Trent had sent him here to hire me for something on a day like today he could...

"I'm sorry for the loss of you wife, Jenks." Quen's head came up and my jaw dropped. Jenks lifted from my shoulder and moved to Quen and the tree now sitting next to his feet. His dragonfly wings shifting from dark to pale blue as he sifted dust on the air in his wake. They stayed there for a moment. I couldn't hear them but I was betting Ivy could from the expression on her face.

"What are they saying?" I asked and she turned to look at me with astonished eyes.

"The tree is for the garden. He got the tree for Jenks garden. He stole one of Trents trees for Jenks garden."

We both looked up at the harsh sound of someone clearing his throat. Quen stood a foot from us with a sour look on his face. "I didn't steal from my employer. I purchased one of the saplings from the nursery. What I do with it is my business." He walked past our astonished faces with Jenks riding a branch and sniffing one of the delicate petals. As he opened the door to the church I came to my senses.

"Where do you think you're going? You can't just walk in here and..."

I stopped short as he turned his pox scarred face to me and smiled. "The legal owner of this establishment has invited me into his building and his garden. Now if you'll excuse me." He turned on a heel and walked inside, kicking the door shut in our faces with the toe of his boot as we reached the top of the stairs.

"What the...?!" Ivy grabbed pushed the door. Nothing happened. She pushed again. Nothing. After a moment of thought she lifted her foot and I grabbed her arm.

"Maybe we shouldn't do that just yet. I mean, there is a gate to the back and I really don't want to pay for the door to be fixed." I lifted my hand from her arm and she visibly shook herself.

"I can't believe that fucking Elf locked the door on us." She ran a hand through her hair and started for the back gate. I stepped in beside her.

"I'm sure Jenks had something to do with it. It's just like him to push us. Especially when he wants us to leave him alone." I looked across to her in time to see her nod but the scowl on her face hadn't faded.

The gate wasn't far but was set in a high stone wall that enclosed the garden, graveyard and entire grounds of the church. No one could see over it without climbing it and thanks to some nifty magic we had surveillance to watch all the grounds. Ivy put the key from her small key chain in the lock and slowly turned it. I could hear the children playing on the other side of the fence but I couldn't hear what was being said. The lock tumbled and Ivy pulled the door open. We stood for a moment, just taking in the scene.

The cherry tree sat at the head of Matalina's grave. Jenks sat on top of the stump in the center of the garden. And Quen was covered in pixie children... with a smile like the sun on his scarred weather face. Eye's alight as he asked each child their name and they answered in turn. Jenks rocked back and forth a little as he watched and the children piled in Quens lap or on his arms and talked all at one time, asking questions and occasionally buzzing around his head. I'd seen a group of Elves take one look at Jenks during a rehearsal dinner and go into a state of horrified shock followed by crippling denial. No elf would admit that they liked pixies. That they felt a kinship with the small wing people. None but Ceri... and now Quen.

"Is that why Trent won't let pixies in his garden?" I mused and Ivy looked a question at me. I nodded toward Quen and the children. "I thought it was because he didn't trust them to keep his secret but I don't think that's it. He blackmails people every day. What's a few pixies. Besides, they'd keep the secret for his garden alone." I paused and glanced at her before turning back to a smiling Quen. One of the children was hung in his shirtsleeve and they were working to get the distressed little pixie free. "He can't let anyone get that close. He can't let his guard down not even in his own private life. He's afraid of them, because he could be comfortable with them, familiar. And he won't allow it."

Ivy seemed to think about that but never got a chance to answer.

"If you two are done ease dropping, why don't you make yourself useful and get the man a drink? Tinks nickers! You'd think we never had guests before."

For the upteenth time that day my jaw dropped and I watched as Ivy shrugged and headed for the kitchen door. I followed behind more slowly as the turmoil of the trapped child ended and the pixies began to play anew. I shook my head in bewilderment as I reached the now open door. I suppose Ceri had some tea in here somewhere. Elves seemed to be a tea drinking bunch.

"Coffee would be great!" Quen called from behind me as Jenks laughed. I had to smile. It was nice to know there was one normal Elf in the bunch and as long as he could make Jenks laugh, I'd give him all the coffee he wanted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I haven't updated sooner. Children sometimes hold you back. Anyway, don't own Rachel Morgan. I know that crushes us all.**

I watched through the window as Jenks talked and laughed with Quen and Ivy made coffee. With a lot more noise than was necessary I might add. She set the carafe down a little more gently then turned to lean against the bar as I turned to lean against the table.

"What do you think their talking about?" I really wanted to know but I wasn't going to barge out there. Jenks was smiling and I didn't want to take that smile away just yet. I expected at any moment for him to crack up into some sort of tears but pixies are made of sterner stuff. He wouldn't break down until he was alone and no one could see him to tell the tale. He'd pout and curse and have any number of emotional outbursts but he wouldn't cry.

Ivy straightened up and walked to look out the window as well. There was a ring of pixies around Quen's head and a group dancing around his knees. I swore I could hear music.

"I have no idea. I've never seen them act this way with anyone but Ceri and she's got so much starch in her ass you can't tell if she really enjoys their company or if she simply tolerates their presence." Ivy didn't like Ceri all that much. Not since the night I'd saved her from her Demon master. Big Al the nasty demon who was now in big trouble because of me. I wasn't looking forward to seeing him again.

"Is the coffee ready?" I looked over my shoulder but Ivy continued to stare out the window.

"No. But it will be in a moment. What are you going to do? Barge in, hand Quen the coffee and pull up a piece of grass? Butt heads with Quen for a few minutes then get pissed and either start a fight or get yourself kicked out of the garden?" She was laughing at me. I could tell it. My blood pressure rose and I glared at her from the corner of my eye. It didn't matter if she was right. She shouldn't be thinking it much less saying it out loud.

"And what makes you think I won't kick him out of the garden?" I raised both eyebrows. I really needed to learn how to raise one. It was so much more condescending.

She smirked at me. The corners of her red lips tipping up and spreading over her small face. "You can't. You don't own the place and he's Jenks guest. It would be rude..." I gave her a disbelieving look. "... to try and kick him out. Plus, I'm pretty sure he can kick your ass."

My jaw dropped. "I can't believe you just... What... but I..."

The string of unfinished thoughts was cut off by the coffee pot. It gurgled happily as the coffee finished brewing and Ivy stepped happily toward the counter to take down the mugs. "Why don't you make some sugar water for Jenks? I'm sure he'd like a drink. Think we should take out the honey?"

That got my brain moving. And my tongue. "NO! He's bad enough. If the kids sneak into it... is there a law against underage honey drinking in the pixie community. There should be. At least I would expect there to be one."

Ivy handed me two mugs and carried a third with her along with a glass of water and the sugar dish. She turned me around and pushed me to the door. I opened it before she slammed my face in it. Once we were outside I could defiantly hear music. Someone was playing what sounded like a small pipe or lute. And I think I heard a mandolin. Quen was still covered in pixies and Jenks was still smiling, though not as brightly. He was looking down at Matalina's grave. The sun shining on his blue tinted wings.

"Hey, Jenks?" He looked up at me and frowned before shaking himself. I forged ahead. "Is there a pixie law against underage honey drinking?"

He gave me a peculiar look before bursting into gales of laughter. Everyone stopped to watch him and then the children started in. By the time he'd calmed down enough to speak the kids had gone back to their games. Quen was looking a little quizzical. Jenks just smiled.

"No. There isn't. I never would have thought about it. The kids have never drank honey and that's just the way it is. When their old enough to sit down and have real conversation with the adults we might have honey over a talk. To be honest, honey isn't easy to come by. It's not like most pixies can go to the store and buy it." He gave me a sassy grin. "I guess I'm spoiled."

Quen blinked then cracked a smile. Ivy just shook her head, passed Quen the coffee and poured sugar into the water. When I finished rolling my eyes I pinned Jenks with a glare. "May we sit down or are we grounded to the kitchen?" At this point it was obvious Quen was trying not to laugh.

"I don't know Rachel?" His tone was sarcastic and condescending all at the same time but his eyes dance with laughter. "Are you going to... behave?"

I gritted my teeth as I heard a series of breaths being sucked in by Ivy who was, as I turned to look, laughing silently at me. I nearly cracked a tooth as I turned back to Jenks. He was a father of 52. It didn't matter that he was only 18. He could still make a grown woman feel like a child. "Yes, sir. That is..." , I cut my eye to Quen and back to Jenks. "...if he's going to." I pointed at the he in question. Jenks simply shook his head and motioned for me to sit.

"I'm always on my best behavior, Ms. Morgan. It's you and Jonathan who can't seem to have a civil conversation. I'm sure it's not all your fault but you do bait him... a lot." Quen leaned back on his hands and was chided by some of the younger children for moving and breaking their concentration. He murmured an apology and settled into the new position.

I bit my lip to hold the retort in. It was hard and I think I might have killed a few brain cells struggling to open my mouth, but I kept it shut. Instead I picked up my coffee, sipped and smiled. Okay, it was a grimace but no one cared. They were too busy gaping at me.

"Will wonders never cease." Ivy shook her head and handed the sugar water to Jenks, then promptly dropped to the moss covered ground and closed her eyes.

Jenks looked alarmed and jumped from the stump to hover over her. "Are you okay Ivy?! What's wrong?!"

She cracked open a lid and smiled wanly at him. "Sorry, Jenks. I've been up all day. This isn't my clock and I'm starting to wear down."

Jenks looked stricken then pulled himself up. "Well, no one's keeping you here. Go to bed." He sounded a little angry but under it was guilt.

"I'm not going to sleep now Jenks. I've stayed up later than this before. I'll just lay out here and close my eye. It'll be relaxing." She slid her eye closed and I watched as she tucked her arms behind her head. "I've seen Rachel do this often enough. Always puts her in a better mood. Maybe I'll get lucky."

Jenks hovered there for a moment then spun and landed on the stump again. I watched him relax by inches. He didn't want us to leave. He didn't want to be alone. I knew he was tired, I just wondered with the adrenaline would wear off. And as I watched him reverse positions to lay on his stomach with his head resting on his hands I decided it wouldn't be long.

Quen had noticed it too and made headway in getting the kids to be just a little more quiet. But I couldn't let him sleep yet. I didn't want to have this conversation in front of Quen but it needed to be had, and now. If I did it in front of the children he might listen.

"Jenks?" I watched as he turned his head to me. His eyes fluttering just a little. "I need to talk to you about the curse."


	6. Chapter 6

**Own I not Kim Harrison's work. It HURTS us! It HURTS us!**

Jenks head flew up from his hands and he gaped at me. "IT'S A WHAT!!!!"

"A curse, Jenks. Didn't Ceri tell you..." By the look on his face I was guessing no. "Anything that causes that much imbalance in the natural world is a curse. It's just not normal to make little people big."

"I asked you to do a curse?" He looked sick and pale all of a sudden.

"What do you mean? Make little people big?" Quen's eyes boring into me was a near physical threat. "You mean you were going to make Jenks big? You can do that?"

I wasn't sure I liked his interest in the subject. Hostile or not it wasn't good. "Yes and yes, though I don't recommend it."

"I asked you to do a curse. A curse that would give you more imbalance. Imbalance that hurts." He looked up at me with stricken eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rache."

"It's okay, Jenks. You weren't thinking clearly. I underst..." He cut me off with an angry look.

"But I should have understood. I was angry at you because I thought you were going to say no. I thought you were going to give me some lame excuse for not doing it. But I should have known it was a curse and what it would cost you to do it. I should have known, Rache, and I didn't. I wasn't thinking about anyone but me and..." He lifted in a slash off the stone and started to fly off when one of the kids stopped him, pulling at his leg. Then another and another. I'd thought the kids didn't know. I'd thought they would be upset at the loss of their father. They didn't look upset.

"How many curses have you done?" I waved a hand at Quen to get him to shut-up. I needed to say something and I didn't want to lose my nerve before hand.

"I wasn't going to say no, Jenks. I can take the imbalance. It's not that bad. I just didn't want you to do this without thinking it through." I sighed and settled myself into the cool earth below me, feeling the ley line in the graveyard course just a few steps away. I'd made peace with what I did to save and care for the people I loved. Looking at Jih and the youngest of Jenks kids cradled against him, I swore nothing would stop me from protecting them all.

"I thought I had. I thought I'd considered everything." Jenks tightened his hold on his little girl. Jih raised her head and smiled at him.

"We'll be okay, daddy. You can still be big and take care of Ms. Morgan and Ms. Tamwood. Everyone will be right here if you need us. I'll be just across the street." She gave him a soft smile. The smile of a child who understood. No matter what, he'd be her father. I had no doubt the children would be just fine if their father was big. But it wasn't the children I was worried about.

"I can still do it if you want. I have everything we need right here in the garden." And I would never say it, but I wouldn't be sorry. I'd love to be able to hug him again. Especially right now, when he needed it the most.

"Jenks." Quen's voice broke the silence around the stump and we all turned to look at him. The look was awed, pitying, angry and understanding all at the same time. "Why would you want to do this? I know things are difficult now but consider your family. You career. What will happen to those things when you are big?"

"I've been big before. Mattie was the only one upset about it. At least I think she was." He looked over his kids. All those present nodded in agreement. I'd known his kids thought it was amazing and fun. But it had only been a few day's and they'd gotten their dad back. "I know how to do my job no matter how big or small I am. I may not be able to do that part as well, but there are things I can do big that I could never do small."

"But you'll have to learn to act as we do. The rules of pixies won't govern you anymore." Quen seemed distressed and I thought I knew why. He'd found a pixie he felt he could trust. One that he could work with and was not only interesting and trustworthy but useful. He didn't want to lose a potential partner. I wasn't going to point out Jenks already had partners. Let him try to lure the pixie away. He'd take him over my dead body. Okay, mine and Ivy's.

Speaking of Ivy, she'd been very quiet. I turned just enough to see her sprawled on the grass with her eyes closed and her breathing deep. Her skin was starting to pink and I wondered if she was going to get up soon and go in. Then I heard the light snore. Quen was telling Jenks about the many human rules he'd have to follow to which Jenks replied, "You don't", so Quen had to explain about money taking care of a lot of problems. All the while I watched Ivy and wondered what the vampire would look like with a sunburn.

"What my father does is his decision! We back him as we have in all things!" I spun around at the high pitched scream to see Jih in Quen's face with a thorn in one hand and what looked like Jenks sword in the other.

"I simply want him to understand what he's getting himself into. Your life now is so much simpler..." He never got a chance to finish the sentence.

"You think this life is SIMPLE!" Uh-oh. "You think we have it easy! I have lost brothers and sisters! To fights and cold and predators! I have defended flower pots so my sibling would have something to eat. I've watched my father and mother stand against a pack of fairies when I was too young to fight. Watched them bleed and nearly die to protect what we had. Because it was ALL we had! I've spent nights ringing the blood from my hair and picking the litter of bodies from the ground. I've buried more dead than my years and I'm sick of it. This garden is the safest place we've ever been. Ms. Morgan and Ms. Tamwood take great care to make sure it stays safe. Without them, without this garden, we would have lost mother and father long ago. He wants to be big to give something back." She started crying and I wanted to stop her. But she had a point to make. She was angry that anyone would make her family and her existence less than what we'd taught them they were. We'd taught them they were important. That they mattered. She wanted it known.

"He wants to take care of them the way he took care of mom and us. We're older now. We can take care of ourselves. Take care of the little ones. He's only got a couple of years left. He wants to spend them taking care of these two women the way they've taken care of us. I don't think it's too much to ask. Neither do the rest of us. It won't be simple, but our lives have never been simple. We've always worked and fought hard. It's nice to have a break. I think my father has earned his." She'd been poking the wooden sword in Quen's nose through most of the tirade. I half expected him to swat at her. Instead he bowed his head.

"There's a lot more to them than people give credit. You learn not to discount them or you end up getting pixed. They're old enough to be on their own by the time their eight. I can't imagine having to leave my family at such a young age just so the rest of them won't starve." Jenks looked up at me and smiled a tired smile. I hadn't forgotten what he told me about his family. His life had been harsh and he'd wanted better for his kids. So he'd gone out and got it. "These guys don't have to worry about that. Jenks owns the church and the land on it. We live in it and watch over it. We're family. Whether Jenks is big or small he's still home. If his children are okay with it. So am I."

Quen nodded slowly then stood. Jih backed away to stand by her father. I got a good look at the sword in her hand. It was Jenks sword. He'd given it to his oldest daughter since his son was no longer here. She accepted it and the responsibility of it without a qualm. Her siblings, all the way down to the baby girl at Jenks side, followed her lead. The children would be fine.

Jenks ruffled the babies hair, which caused her to squeal and slap at him for messing it up, then stood and took to the air. "I'll see Quen out. You might want to wake Ivy up. She's been laying there for over on hour." He grinned. A little of that impish humor peeked out at the edges. "I'll be right back." He followed Quen to the door. The Elf was looking humble but I caught the last thing he asked before he walked out the door. I didn't like the fact that he asked about the curses I'd twisted.

A breeze blew by my ear and I turned my head to see Jih landing on my shoulder. The door to the gate creaked shut and Jih sighed. "I know what you're thinking. You think he shouldn't leave us like this. You think he'll miss us. But you don't understand." She lifted off and hovered in front of me, her face stern. I lifted a hand and she landed on it, thorn and sword held at her sides. "We know he loves us. And he will always take care of us. We may be young but most of us aren't children anymore. Father taught us how to take care of ourselves and each other. And now we are taking care of him."

I gave her a questioning look. "By letting him leave you? By sending him into an unfamiliar life? I know you and the others can handle life without your parents. I knew he taught you that. But I don't understand why."

She smiled softly but there was so much hope in her eyes. "He'll die within the year without mother. Pixie couples never live long without their mate. He'll wither away from the loss of her." I felt tears sting my eyes but held them. I would not let Jenks die. There had to be something that would...

"He was different when he was bigger. He talked about the fact that he was old and needed someone to follow after him. To take care of us. I thought I might die at one point and wanted to make him small before I did but he said no. He said that's you'd be fine. That we needed him." I realized my eyes had unfocused with memory and when they refocus Jih was smiling at me. Full out smiling with tiny tears pricking her eyes.

"He's been faster and stronger since that week. He laughs more and fights harder. Pixies aren't truly alive unless they have something to protect. Something to hold on to. He owns this garden and no longer has to fight to hold it. But you. You and Ms. Tamwood. He can fight for you. You give him purpose and reason."

The tears started to spill but I couldn't move to wash them away. "He said he'd stay big and protect me. When he thought I was going to die in the van. He said he'd stay big and protect me." My voice was small and shaky with tears. I'd not realized until Jih pointed it out. To Jenks, Ivy and I were just children. Or maybe it was just me.

"He can take care of you. He wants to. Please! Don't let the life he has left be filled with pain. He's said so many times he wished he could hold you when you cry. And he gives great hugs." And with that I burst into tears. My sobs were silent but no less wrenching. Jih lifted from my hand and landed on my knees. I had enough of myself left to hear the buzz of dragonfly wings and Jenks coming toward us. When had all the other children left?

"What's wrong with her? What happened?" He landed on my shoulder and started wiping the tears from my face with his shirt. "Are you hurt, Rache? What's wrong?"

I couldn't seem to get air but I didn't need it. Jenks said the one thing I needed to hear. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

"Then..." I sniffed and wiped my nose on the back of my sleeve. "Then lets get those ingredients together and call Ceri. I'm not sure how long the spell will take and I want to make sure it doesn't need to be done by midnight."

"Are you sure?" he sounded hopeful and hesitant. I lifted my hand and he stepped on it. I wanted to see his face.

"Yeah, I am. Someone pointed out to me I could use a good hug. I think I could too." His smile was beautiful and I remember the 18 year old boy who smiled at me like that almost a year ago.

There was a groan from the ground and I looked down to see Ivy stir.

"Uh-oh" Jenks lifted off my hand and out of easy reach. Not that Ivy would be reaching much.

"Maybe we shouldn't have let her sleep so long?" I wince as she moved and groaned again.

"Not we. You. And you might want to get started on the spell now. I'd like to be big before she tries to kill you." And with that he set off into the garden to get the supplies.

Ivy groan once more as she sat up then looked at her bare red arms. She touched one and the skin went white at the pressure. "Holy SHIT!!! I'm SUNBURNED!!" She turned her eyes on me and I knew I was in for it.

"I've got a spell to stir." I got to the balls of my feet and started standing. "I'll just see if I can find a pain amulet and some aloe." I bounced on the toes then took off for the door. I could hear her cursing and screaming as she tried to followed.

**I hope this is a little longer. Sadly I can't tell on my computer since I don't like this font. Hope you enjoy. R and R!**


	7. Chapter 7

** I don't own it. You know the rest.**

It was surprisingly easy to cook up. Ceri had put the original curse in the back of my spell book with it's counter curse. The modifications made it non- reversible. There would be no word to change him back. If he did this, it was for the rest of his life. However short it may be. I had to hold my breath for a moment at the thought. Jenks wouldn't live much longer no matter what we did. This was just a way to give him peace and a reason to keep going. This was to make his final years worth living. Not that his children weren't worth it. But in his eyes, they didn't need him the way we did. Apparently Ivy and I were more trouble than 52 squealing pixie brats. Wait, was it 52 or 54? Who knew. They never sat still long enough to be counted.

We'd waited until the next night out of respect and sheer exhaustion. There'd been a message on the machine from David when I'd woke asking if we needed anything. I'd called him back earlier and told him no and thanks. We had it under control and appreciated his concern. He said he'd see us in a couple of days. I didn't tell him there would be a new man in the house. He'd see for himself soon enough. Now Ceri and I were in the kitchen, in front of the center island. It was just before midnight. Not that it matter for the curse. Sometimes it just helped to stand on ceremony.

"You have the last of it in place?" Ceri was going over my work. Nodding here and there and smiling. I guess I was doing well. She seemed proud even if it was demon magic. Then again, that's all she'd done for 1000 years before I stole her, I mean, saved her. Damn demons!

"Yeah. All we need is Jenks." I poured over the book one more time, making sure I had the right words. There was an extra phrase this time. "I can't believe we're doing this." I said it softly more to myself than anyone. But Ceri answered me.

"Are you going to change your mind?" I looked over my shoulder at her. She smiled. "No. You need him as much as he needs you, I think."

She moved to the other side of the island as a sunburned Ivy entered followed by Jenks and a parade of suspiciously silent pixie children. Ivy took a seat at her usual chair and push her laptop shut. She only sat a little stiffer than usual. Jenks moved to the island and sat down facing me and the pot of liquid he'd have to drink for the spell. His kids spread out around him. He looked at me with a wistful smile and I thought of the last time we had done this. The last time I had made him big. He'd panicked and started to hyperventilate sitting naked on the counter. I'd panicked because I'd put so much black on my soul. Things were different then. Ivy was Piscary's scion. Matalina was Jenks lifeline. And Kisten... My eyes started to swim and I had a moment to realize that Jenks was crying too when I felt a hand touch my arm then pull on me. I looked up to see Ivy smiling at me. Her arms came around me in a sudden, impulsive hug. The same hug I'd given her that same day. I'd promised her I'd come back and I had. Not that she'd been patient enough to wait. I'd never regretted that day. I wouldn't regret this one either.

"Tinks panties, get a room you two! There are children present!" The laughter in his voice took the embarrassment out of the situation. Ivy pulled from me with a wince to send a black look to Jenks. She'd gotten over being left outside in the sun so long but I was sure I'd get repaid some time soon for the discomfort she was feeling. Especially since she refused to wear a pain amulet. Though she did take the aloe.

"Are you sure about this?" She was looking at Jenks but I knew the question was directed at both of us.

"I'm sure." I looked past her shoulder at Jenks. He was holding his little cup, looking at his kids. Silently asking them one last time for their approval.

"Yes." It was all he said and Jih's sigh could be heard throughout the kitchen.

Ivy moved back to her spot at the table and the three of us watched as Jenks kissed each of his kids in turn, laughing when the youngest ones asked if they'd get to ambush him when he came in the door now. That bought a snicker from Ceri and a smile from Ivy. I just shook my head, thankful he'd be the one getting the brunt of that attention now. I heard him mutter a few last instructions to the oldest boys then patted each on the back as they took the little ones in tow and headed for the door to the hall. They lined up over the top of the seal and settled.

"Are we ready?" I looked to Jenks, my skin tingling and muscles quivering.

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes before nodding. "Yeah. Lets do it." He picked dipped his cup into the brew and started drinking it in large gulps. Apparently it started alright this time or maybe he was holding his nose. I couldn't tell. He was drinking it too fast. But a couple of minutes and a loud burp later he put his small cup down and jumped from the counter to land on the floor still inside the permanently set circle in the tiled floor.

"Okay. Count to ten backwards and..." He cut me off with a glare.

"Oh, hell no! You just do it. I'm not falling for that again." He turned back to look straight ahead. "And hurry up! Tinks titties, I have to pee!" I think we all might have laughed if we weren't so nervous.

"Okay. Here we go." I took a deep breath and reached for the line out back. The energy poured over and into me and I siphoned off just what I needed before standing squatting down in front of Jenks. His wings shifted for a moment before I put my hand over him. "_Non sum qualis eram, nunc semper_."

A burnished gold ball of everafter incased Jenks and I closed my eyes, waiting for the imbalance to hit. It didn't take long and though I was prepared for it, it still hit me hard enough to put my on my butt in the middle of the kitchen floor. I took deep breaths until my head stopped spinning then open my eyes. My vision cleared slowly but there was no yelling or scream like the last time.

"You okay, Rache?" The voice was young and male and so sweet to my ears that I nearly burst into tears all over again.

"I'm good, how about you?" I smiled into his grinning face and took in the golden curls and spring green eyes. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him.

"I'm okay." He and Ivy helped me stand. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and I thanked Ivy's planning that had it here before we started. Jenks was enough distraction without being nude.

I gave the room a quick look. Ceri was smiling at us. A look of pleasure and pride in her eyes. I couldn't see Ivy but I felt the weight of her at my back as she held me steady. Jenks kids were moving into the room, laughing and touching their fathers hair. No fear in their tiny faces that I could see. Jenks wings were gone but the body was still that of a well, toned 19 year old. It should be a sin for a man to look so good. He smiled and the even white teeth gleamed where light red lips pulled back against them. Wow!

Jenks frowned and touched my chin. "Rache? You alright? You look a little dazed?" I must of been staring too hard.

"No, no. I'm fine. I just can't believe..." I shook my head as I boggled over what had just happened. At who was standing in front of me. I started to feel a familiar panic. "I need to sit." And so I did. Right back on the kitchen floor. With my head between my knees I waved Jenks away as Ceri came to stand a few paces back. "Didn't you say you needed to pee, Jenks?"

There was a sharp intake of breath then feet shuffling on the floor. "Sorry. Be right back." I heard a thump on the opposite side of the room and "Tinks a Disney whore," as Jenks hit some part of his body on the door frame in his mad dash to the bathroom.

"I really love that spell." Ceri's voice came from my left as I slowly raised my head.

"I think we all do." I smiled and relaxed a little as the unsettled, nervous feeling left me. "This wasn't as bad as last time."

"Last time you hadn't made peace with the fact you were working demon magic. You've learned a lot since then." Ceri offered me a hand and she and Ivy helped me stand up.

"Yeah, but paybacks going to be a bitch." I stretched my shoulders and rotated my neck to work out the kinks.

"But you will pay it back and long before you need worry about it." She smiled sadly as she sipped her tea and I thought of all the black Al had dumped on her soul. And how much I would love to make him pay for it. But the thought ended there as Ivy spun me around and looked at me. Her eyes brown and fierce.

"You're sure you're alright?" She looked me up and down. Cataloging over little movement and breath I took.

"I'm fine. I'll get my breath back in a moment. Just... don't say anything to Jenks about the imbalance. I don't want to upset him.

"Yeah, he's loud when he's upset," Ivy said, completely dead pan. Ceri gave a short bark of laughter and I had to smile. She was right after all.

Pixie's came broiling into the room ahead of Jenks and he frowned at them in his signature Peter Pan pose. He was wearing a pair of jeans we'd bought him last year and nothing else. "I told you, you can't come in the bathroom ever time I have to pee! It's not polite!"

Ivy choked, I gaped and Ceri made a hasty retreat, mumbling something about Keasley and watering cans. We heard the front door shut with a loud thud just as Jenks had finished admonishing his children. The lecture had consisted of points on privacy and manners along with some rather detailed explanations on human anatomy. I'm only thankful he decided not to give the sex talk in our company.

"Now, off with you! I'm sure the garden needs to be tended. I'll be out to help in an hour." He waved a hand toward the garden and a cloud of pixie dust rained over us as the kids moved their the door and outside.

Ivy reached to shut the door and we all turned to look at one another.

"So," she settled against the table and looked from me to Jenks. "What do we do now?"

I swallowed and looked from Ivy to Jenks. He was absolutely beautiful even if his eyes were a little red from crying. I raised both brows and gave a small smile. "I don't know about you, but I could sure use that hug right now."

"I thought you'd never ask." He moved on me so fast I didn't have time to do anything but stand there as he folded those long arms around me and settled his cheek against mine. "I missed this so much," he whispered against my hair and I felt new tears stinging my eyelids.

"Ouch! Jenks!" She pressed into my side and settled there, stifling more protests I was sure. She wouldn't stay. The mixing of scents would get to her but she needed the contact as much as Jenks and I did.

"So ladies," he said from between our heads. "Where am I sleeping?"


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't own any of this. Enjoy.**

I pulled the cot from the attic and set it up in my room. Until we could set up an area of the sanctuary or cleared out the attic, he would sleep with me. I'd just have to do all my dressing in the bathroom. At least he remembered most of how he'd lived for his week as a "big person". After a couple of hours of working in the garden he'd come back in to complain about being wet and that he'd forgotten about sweating so he needed a shower. I suspected the water bill would be high for the next few months. But we weren't going to complain. Ivy and I had spent the night watching him move through the church, getting familiar with doors and halls. Learning, again, how to deal with steps and uneven floor boards. It was relaxing, having him move around the place. I don't think either of us had realized how much we'd missed having a man around. Especially since the man currently around was a 6'4" wet dream with wicked sword skills.

As the night wound down and Ivy and I made our way to our rooms for the day we both waved our good nights to Jenks who was fiddling with the stereo. He hadn't taken his "evening rest" as Ceri called it, and he was starting to look run down. Ivy stopped in the doorway as Jenks lifted one of my Takata cd's and slide it into the carousel. "You have many more nights to destroy the electronic and scratch up our cd's. Why don't you try and get some sleep? You look like shit." Her tact was never good before 4pm and after 5am.

He looked at us through exhausted eyes but smiled none the less. "I'll go in a bit. I just want to hear this one song." He started pressing buttons to get the right cd and then the right song while Ivy shook her head and started down the hall.

"Don't turn the music up too loud. I'll see you for breakfast Jenks." Her door closed with a thump.

I waited a moment as smooth guitar poured from the speakers. Jenks blinked and looked at me again. His eyes soft and blurry. "I'll go soon. I promise." Realizing he wanted privacy I moved to my room, leaving the door cracked.

Changing into my nightgown, okay it was a really long t-shirt, I wondered at the day we'd had and what to expect next. Everything had happened so fast no one had given themselves time to think about the changes we were going to have to make. Going from 4 inch pixie in the garden to 6 foot 4 inch pixie in the church was a big move. Already we were having to think about sleeping arrangements.

I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall for a moment. The music from the stereo washing threw me. Everything was going to be alright. We would make this work because Jenks meant more to us than a few nights of discomfort or a few inconveniences. This was all the time he had left and he wanted to spend it with us. I wasn't going to waste it. We'd work with him on the way things were done in a larger world. We'd teach him what he needed to know. He'd taught three of us sons to be runners and they were going to be working with us. Jenks would get to see a run through our eyes. Maybe even do some on his own. His knowledge of pixie and fairy habit would be invaluable. Not to mention how impressed the local pixies would be. Maybe impressed enough to do special favors for our "Pixie King".

The light was slowing dawning outside the walls of the church, morning for the human world. I was tired to the bone and sank slowly into the mattress. My eyes closed on the sounds of Takata's soothing voice and I pulled the blankets up tight to my chin. As I drifted off into sleep my thoughts wondered to why Takata's voice sounded so young and so sorrowful.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I dreamt the bed dipped and warm arms wrapped around me. Very warm arms. I snuggled into them and sighed with contentment. It had been so long since I'd been held like this, I didn't care if it was a dream. I'd missed it too much. Only, after a few minutes, I felt something wet against me neck. The arm around me tightened and soft sounds came from the warm breath in my hair. The arm was so hot. So very, very hot. Slowly I was pulled from my sleep to realize the arm around me was real. The heat and breath against my neck were real. The cot in the corner was empty. Jenks was in bed with me. His arm around me in grip almost painfully tight.

And he was crying.

"Jenks…" I turned my head to look into his tear stained face. I tried to roll over only to have him grip me tighter. "Jenks, what…"

"Don't tell Ivy." He pulled me closer to him. Loosening his grip a little when I didn't protest. "I just… I couldn't… I'm sorry, Rachel. I don't know what to do. I can't… sleep…"

"I'll stay up with you if you want, Jenks. You just startled me. It's alright. I'll just…" His gripped tightened again and I grunted. "Jenks, I can't breath. What's wrong?"

"Please don't leave." It was a plea. His voice so small and scared, like a child afraid of the dark. He buried his face in my hair and started to shake. "I can't sleep without holding her. I can't."

He couldn't sleep alone. He'd been married to a woman he loved for ten years. He'd been so exhausted yesterday he'd passed out before he could really get back to the stump and hadn't slept any other time than that. I hadn't thought about the fact that maybe he hadn't slept because he couldn't. No matter what he'd always had the promise that Matalina would be there when he got home. Now she wasn't. And never would be.

"Jenks. I'm not Matalina." I slowly started to roll to my back so I wouldn't get a crick in my neck. He let me but didn't let me go.

"I know that." He sounded so defeated; I almost wanted to pretend for him. Almost. "Do you love me?"

Now I was getting nervous. His wife had died two days ago. He was a healthy looking man with the butt of a professional ball player and eyes to die for. I could almost imagine him in a Speedo, in fact I had once. And it wasn't hard to imagine it now, since I knew he was only wearing a pair of silk sleep pants under the sheets. He was also close enough for me to know he wasn't interested in those kinds of thoughts at the moment and as thankful as I was that he wasn't trying to get in my pants, I was still nervous over the question. But I'd answer truthfully. He looked like he really needed it.

"You are the best backup I've ever had…," his face started to shut down and I felt him moving away from me. I should have let him go but something told me if I did, things wouldn't be the same between us. "You and Ivy are also the greatest friends I've ever had. I'd do anything for you Jenks."

"Don't you mean _almost_ anything?" A ghost of a smile crossed his pale lips but the fear hadn't left his eyes.

"What I did for you today, I have never and most likely will never do for another soul. I will do anything for you Jenks." His face broke down with that and I rolled to face him and take him in my arms as he cried. His sobs were hard and his body shook as he let out tears of pain that I wasn't sure I could really understand. There was so much fear and pain in small cries he tried not to let escape that I wasn't sure how he'd held it in for so long.

He was still shaking almost violently when I felt the weight of eyes on us and I silently turned from the broke man in my bed to meet Ivy's. She watched the scene before her, silently gauging the situation. I met her eyes with as much composure as I could muster with Jenks huddled in my arms. If she wanted to get pissed over Jenks in my bed, let her. I wouldn't put him out now. Not when he needed me so much. But she didn't say a word, and after a silent nod she slipped soundlessly from the door. I couldn't be sure what had kept her from coming into the room and demanding to know why Jenks was here. After all, she was a little jealous over anyone in my bed, regardless of why they were there. But since her ears were better than mine, maybe it was the mantra Jenks had been repeating over and over as his sobs slowly died

"Just hold me", he whispered. "Just don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone."

**I know it's short but this was where it needed to end and it didn't go exactly where I'd planned. Here's hoping the next chapter will be longer and more cooperative. R and R please.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Don't own Kim Harrison's stuff.**

We heard the "doorbell" ring and the door open. The smell of wolf floated on the breeze that passed through the door. David was here. The shower was running in my bathroom and Ivy and I were on our second and third cup of coffee. Neither of us were fit for company before at least one cup.

"Rachel?" David's voice carried through the hall into the kitchen.

"We're in the kitchen, David." His head peeked around the corner before the rest of him came through.

He was smiling and carrying his briefcase. He'd told me he had papers he needed for me, as his alpha, to sign for the company. We had a pack now. Two human women he'd turned Were by accident when he'd had a demon cursed Were artifact hidden in his freezer. The focus was now IN him. He'd taken it on to save my life and so it would be with the Were community without them knowing it was there. He was an alpha and able to suppress the urges of the spirit that had once been trapped in a bone statue my ex-boyfriend had stolen. The same ex that had lured Jenks oldest son into a life of crime and sold information about me to a demon. How screwed up was MY life?

"I've got to get to work but I wanted to get these papers signed before I went in. It's just an integration papers for the girls to join the pack." His smile slipped a little when he pulled them out. "And the posthumous for Brett."

I nodded and pulled a pen from Ivy's pencil cup. Brett had been one of the Were's we'd dealt with in Macanaw. When three groups of Were's had band together in a round to take the focus. Had they gotten there hands on it there would have been no way to stop them. And with an alpha bent on domination… it could have been bad. I'd used Brett to send a message and afterwards he'd been booted from his pack. At least that's what I thought. David seemed to think he left to find something better.

I'd turned into a wolf with a demon curse and beaten the alpha's wife in a fight. Well, maybe not beaten as much as earned the respect of the local natural wolves. She'd run and I hadn't. The wolves killed her and I won. Stranger things have happened. But Brett had seen it all and apparently liked what he saw. He'd followed me back home and stalked me for a few months. David finally approached him and found out he wanted to join our pack. That same night Trent Kalamack killed him. Not that it made much difference to him, since he claimed Brett committed suicide to prevent himself from telling where the focus was.

I'd had the evidence to bring him in. But money talks and Trent was out for my blood. Jenks worked with Quen to "misplace" the evidence and in return got the deed to the land and the church we live in, and maybe a reprieve for me. It didn't matter. I'd take him down again if I could. Maybe at his anniversary part? Nah, I couldn't wait that long.

Brett had been a good man. He hadn't deserved to die. None of the Were's that Trent killed deserved to die. I was still pissed about it. If it weren't for the black I'd get on my soul, I swear I'd curse him into his next life. But he wasn't worth the payback. And never would be.

"Are you alright, Rachel?" Ivy was looking at me worriedly. I must have been staring for a while. I hadn't realized I'd drifted off on my own thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking. Let me see those papers." I pulled the forms toward me and Ivy offered David a cup of coffee. He leaned back on the island and watched me sign.

"You look tired. Have a late night?" He asked innocently enough but I stiffened anyway. Ivy grew still at her side of the table. The song of the keyboard going silent as she, no doubt, waited for my answer.

"You could say that." I looked up as I moved to the next form.

He didn't look convinced and I knew he wasn't going to let this go. Since Kistens death he'd paid way more attention to my moods and could read me better than most. I wasn't happy about this new found interest in my life. Didn't he have enough on his plate without worrying about me? And now that I'd thought about Kisten I was sad all over again. I missed him terribly. The warmest and yet most mischievous smile in the world and it was gone forever. I hadn't found the vampire that killed him yet, but I would. I swore I would.

The shower went off and as if he hadn't noticed it before, David turned a quizzical eye toward the hallway. "Who had the hot date that stayed overnight?" His voice of light with humor but I knew he was racking his brain trying to figure out who would be in our shower this time of day. I watched him mentally tick off all the possibilities, then turned my eyes to Ivy. Her face was impassive but the look in her eyes said she wasn't happy. Whether is was about Jenks in my bed last night or not telling David Jenks was the one in the shower I had no clue.

It didn't matter anyway. A moment later Jenks came through the doorway in a white silk shirt and loose white cotton pants. I recognized them and realized he'd gotten out the clothes we'd bought for him that week. We'd have to get more and his allergy to oil based synthetic material was going to make his wardrobe expensive. I guess I'd send him with Ivy. She'd be impressed at the sheer speed and efficiency with which he shopped. He moved gracefully into the room and stared at the coffee pot before passing it up for a bottle of water from the frig. David stared at him for a long time, obviously confused. Then it happened.

Jenks closed the refrigerator door, turned with the bottle of water in his hand and smiled. "Hi, David! What are you doing here?"

All the blood left David's face. His hands shook as he started stammering. "J-j-j-jenks?" If he hadn't been pressed against the island counter, I was sure he would have fallen on his rear in my kitchen. As it was he'd started listing to the side and Ivy deftly stood and took the few steps to reach out and right him before he tipped too far.

Jenks, however, was all smiles. "Yep! What do you think? Pretty cool, eh?" He twirled like a dancer and stop in a rather manly and slightly provocative pose. Ivy actually blinked before shaking herself and taking her seat again.

"What? How?" David turned his accusing eyes on me. "What have you done?"

I'd expected this and thought long and hard over what I'd tell him. He knew I did demon magic. He knew I didn't like it but would use it to help my friends and family if I needed to. He accepted that with an easy must people never would. I appreciated that so I felt I owed him an answer for this. He liked Jenks. He would want to know what had happened and why.

I didn't get the chance though. "I asked her to." Jenks expression was light but not cheerful. Sadness had seeped into his eyes and his smile was a little droopy at the corners. "My children don't need me anymore. Not in the capacity that small children need a father. Guess I taught them too well how to live without us. But I always thought I'd go first." His smile turned crooked and he walked up to David. The Were was short to begin with and Jenks height made him look just a little smaller. No, that wasn't it. Jenks force of personality made him seem smaller. David always filled a room with the weight of his power and the strength of his personality. But Jenks was a pixie and pixies weren't cute and cuddly. They were dangerous and ruthless. The Were's could learn and thing or two from Jenks.

"I want to take care of Rachel and Ivy for a while among other things." I didn't know about the other things but I wasn't going to ask right now. "I'm cool with this so don't worry about it." He turned from David and walked over to sit on the counter. We'd have to get another chair in here.

David blinked a few times. He'd gotten over the shock of seeing Jenks and having to look up at him for reasons other than he was flying over his head. He nodded as he relaxed. "Alright. But I'd really like to know what you did? As I recall, the last time you did this is was a demon curse. I'll assume it's the same this time."

I nodded and signed the last of the papers. He gave me a stern look and I raised both eyebrows at him. The stern look didn't go away. "I did it for Jenks. It's the first curse I've twisted since the focus. I haven't had any demon visitors." I crossed myself and my fingers then said a little prayer it would stay that way. "And I can handle the black. Ceri's right, it's not that bad and I can pay it back. I've got some time."

He didn't look too pleased but he nodded acceptance and took the papers I handed to him. "Just be careful. How long does this curse last? When do you change him back?" He turned to the island and opened his briefcase to put the papers away. He was closing the case when I answered.

"He doesn't change back. This is permanent." I watched him stop in the motion of locking the case and blink twice. Then he hit the floor with a loud thud.

I blinked down at his still body. Jenks had moved to his side and was bending down to see if he was hurt. Ivy moved in next to me and huffed. "Should have seen that one coming."

Yeah. We should have.

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"This is PERMANENT?!" David winced with the rest of us though only _his_ head was hurting. He had a lump from his fall and was currently stretched out on Ivy's couch with an ice pack pressed to the side of his head, staring at Jenks in horror.

"We talked this over. It's what Jenks wanted." The pixie in question was reassuring his children, who had come in about the time we'd started moving David out of the kitchen, that everything was alright and there was no need to worry. I'd been surprised and please to see that several of the older pixies had been carrying swords and bows in their hands as they flew in. Apparently they'd heard the noise and thought there was some kind of attack. When they saw their father drop to the floor they ran to help. The younger ones were in the stump being guarded by a few armed siblings. Jenks was right. The pixies would be fine.

"What about his kids, his job?" He took a breath and stared at me wide eyed. "Where the hell is he sleeping?" There was moment of complete silence in which Jenks kids quietly left the room. Guess Ivy wasn't the only one who knew where Jenks had slept last night. David looked appalled. "Where is Jenks sleeping, Rachel?"

Jenks straightened and moved to the head of the couch. "I'm sleeping on a cot in her room until we can get some space cleared for me. I didn't give them any time to think about little things like that and I can sleep anywhere so long as it's not too cold." He said it perfectly straight faced and if I hadn't been cuddled up next to him last night I'd have believed him myself.

David took a beat before he finally breathed out, looking relieved. "I just can't believe you've done this. This is almost in line with converting humans into Were's."

Ivy crossed her arms and gave David angry eyes. "This is nothing like that. Jenks asked Rachel for this. His children asked Rachel for this. Do you honestly think she'd do this just for the hell of it?" I cleared my throat when I noticed her color getting high. She swung to me with, hands fisted at her side. "What?!" Okay. So it was the sunburn maybe. I held up my hands in surrender and she swung back on David. But David also had his hands up in surrender. No one wanted to piss Ivy off. If she said it was all good, it was all good.

"I don't understand it, but if this is what you want… I just hope you realize what you've done." He'd leaned back to look up at Jenks.

Jenks lips tipped up at the corners. "I know. And that's all that matters."

Silence reined after that statement and David gathered himself and his papers up and left with a wave and a nervous smile. The rest of us started our day. Ivy had a run and was gathering her maps and other miscellaneous tools. I was at the counter, cutting up veggies and putting them in my large copper spell pot. The one with the dent the shape of Ivy's head. It wasn't useable for spell casting anymore. The sauce bubbled inside and I turned back the heat. I head the soft hush of good leather before Ivy leaned back on the counter.

"I don't think I'll be back before morning." She seemed relaxed as she leaned her lower back on the curve of the counter. I took a closer look and noted the tightness of her muscles.

"You need Jenks to go with you?" I had expected this. Though I'd hoped she would just let it go.

"No. It's nothing I can't deal with on my own. If you want, we can start clearing out the attic tomorrow. There's plenty of room up there for him and easy access of the kids. I…" He chin dropped to her chest.

"He was upset and needed to be comforted. I wasn't going to kick him out of the bed. And I'd say I'm sorry if it bothers you but I'm not sorry. I won't apologize for taking care of a friend." I turned back to the stove and waited for the explosion.

But it didn't come. "I wasn't upset. Okay, I was upset initially but...," she took a deep breath but I didn't turn to look at her. She didn't like to share and I wanted to hear this. If we were going to have problems, I wanted to know now. "I wanted to help."

I stopped stirring and turned full body to stare at her. Her chin was against her chest and her eyes were closed. Shoulders slumped; she looked very little like the confident, stoic Ivy I was used to seeing. I'd only seen her break down once. Just once. I didn't want to see that again.

"I want to help and I don't know if I can." She visibly swallowed. "I couldn't help Kisten. I was angry and scared and I didn't even fight for him."

"I wasn't your fault. Piscary…"

She cut me off. "Shut up." She turned her head to look at me. "It's not the first time. I couldn't save him. I couldn't save you." She lowered her head again and stared at the floor tiles. "I don't know how to help Jenks. That's why I'm not saying anything about him sleeping with you."

I small part of me relaxed and I started stirring the sauce again.

"But I hate it. That you can be so easy with each other and I can't share in it."

My spoon stopped again but I didn't look at her. "No one is stopping you from comforting a friend."

"I am, because I don't trust myself not to make it more than it is." She straightened and walked to the table for her bag. Moments later I heard the front door slam shut. I relaxed a little but didn't look up from the pot.

She'd made it clear months ago that she wouldn't accept a blood balance. She wanted all or nothing. She'd sealed that deal with a kiss and if I hadn't panicked it might have been more. She'd shared me with Kisten because he'd sworn he wouldn't bite me unless I offered. Not that it stopped me from biting him. But Jenks…

"Rache?" I turned from the sauce to see Jenks in the doorway. His golden curls were haloed in the dim light coming from the kitchen windows and his green eyes were a little worried. He'd heard at least part of the conversation.

"Don't worry, Jenks. We'll handle it." My smile was a little forced.

"If where I sleep is a big problem, I can…"

I lifted the spoon and tapped it on the side of the pot. "It's not a problem. It caught me a little off guard but it's not a big deal. It's not like I've never slept in bed with a guy before." That made him blush. Two little spots of color showed on his perfect cheeks and his ears tipped red. "You're safe with me." I smiled and started to turn back to the pot.

"Do you love me?" I jerked toward him. The worry was fading from his eyes. It was the second time in as many days he'd asked me that question and I wasn't sure how to answer it. Why was he asking? He smiled brightly at me and turned back to the door. He stopped before walking out. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

I stood there with sauce from the spoon dripping on the floor, wondering when my life would ever be normal and what exactly had just happened.

**Sorry it took so long to get this up. It was longer than I expected. Please read and review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't own anything. I just wanted to play. Please don't sue me. You wouldn't get anything anyway.**

One full week of big Jenks and I wasn't sure if I wanted to run screaming from the church or cheer the gods that decided to let him enjoy my company so much. Seven days and I'd barely had one to myself. He was with me when I woke and sometimes when I went to bed, he helped me on all but one of my runs and he sat down to every meal with us. The only peace I had was the three hours a day he spent in the garden with him kids. They were doing a great job with it and if Jenks wasn't entirely pleased, I was.

I was spending a lot more time cooking meals, and Jenks was helping. I supposed I shouldn't be surprised. Pixie curiosity is a very powerful thing. He tried for one full day not to touch the stove. When he couldn't take it anymore he'd grabbed my arm and dragged me to it, demanding that I explain how to use it then show him how to cook. He was a fast learner and was able to cook simple meals in three days. When I'd shown him chicken he'd baulked. It was fine if it was already cooked and looked nothing like the animal it had once been. Chicken was just too much for him. He'd looked at the raw plucked bird and I'd wondered if he would throw up in the kitchen or make it to the bathroom. He'd gone out the back door. His children were still teasing him about it.

Tonight he was cooking on his own. It was a first and I was supervising from a bar stool at the island. We'd gone out and bought another chair for the table and four stools for the island. With David, Glenn, Ceri and Keasley coming around more often it was helpful to have the extra seating. We'd also managed to get Jenks more clothes. Ivy had taken him shopping on the third day of his new status. She'd come back with an awed expression and sat perfectly still in her leather chair for 20 minutes before telling me she'd never met a man who could shop like that. He'd simply walked into the store, looked over the shelves, flipped open the clothes, looked them over and checked the tags, then dropped them in a pile in her arms. In less than five minutes they'd left the first store and gone to the next where'd he'd been just as efficient. In thirty minute they were done. She'd looked dazed and confused as she recounted the easy way in which the task had been completed. I think she might have had an orgasmic experience. Ivy could plan a run into the ground. The fact that Jenks as the ultimate power shopper was most likely the ultimate turn-on for her.

Jenks was currently standing in front of the stove in a new pair of cotton sweat pants… and nothing else. Seems Jenks liked to relax when he wasn't working. I was thankful he was comfortable with us but I was hoping this was as comfortable as he got. My mantra for not cat-calling my partner was slowly wearing thin and if any of his pants were tighter than these I might just drop the mantra and drool openly.

"Where's the olive oil?" He'd turned to look at me with his hand in the cabinet above the stove. I'd been staring at his butt so I hadn't noticed.

"A little to your left… that's it." I leaned back into the island and tipped the stool on two legs. Ivy would be home in an hour and Jenks had wanted to try his hand at cooking. Something about being useful around the house. But he _was_ useful. He just had a habit of picking up things, moving them, and then forgetting where he put them. And, of course, this was driving Ivy nuts. I suspected this was his attempt at smoothing over her irritation, but I wasn't going to ask.

"Is David coming tonight?" There was an odd note in his voice. Some inflection I couldn't read. Twice this week David had called and Jenks had answered. There'd been a mostly one-sided conversation and Jenks would hang up. His guilty glances my would made me think he was calling to talk to me, but when I asked he always said it wasn't important. David didn't call for idle chit chat. He was a field insurance agent. His time was valuable and limited.

"I don't think so. I haven't talked to him this week." I watched for the blush that slowly reddened Jenks ears. He kept his face averted. Yeah, those phone calls had been for me. "I think Ceri is coming by later. Jih wanted to come by and 'check' on you." I grinned when his shoulders stiffened and he growled just loud enough for me to hear, then started muttering to himself.

I was sure he'd be fine in the kitchen for a few minutes so I slipped out and headed for my room. The cot was still sitting in the corner, unused. The bed was rumpled but made. I hadn't made it so Jenks must have. I sat at the edge and slipped my boots off, sliding them under the bed. I pulled my slippers out and dropped them on the floor in front of me. There was something sticking out from under the blankets at the head of the bed. I slide closer to that end and reached for what looked like blue fabric.

There was a crash down the hall and some cursing then Jenks yelled, "I'm good!" I thought about checking on him but after a minute of silence decided he was fine. I turned my attention to the small scrape of fabric I'd pulled from the pillow. It was crumpled and looked more like a wad of tissue than fabric. At least until I opened it.

My eyes started to well up as I realized what I was looking at. The tiny sleeves were belled and the waist was narrow and high. The blue was soft silk and very wrinkled but it was no less beautiful. I'd seen it before; when Jenks, Ivy and I had come home from Mackinaw. It was the dress Matalina wore to greet her husband home. I recalled the scene as she'd zipped into the kitchen and nearly pinned him to the canisters on the counter. We'd had to leave the room just to be safe. I don't think I could cook from that counter again if I knew Jenks had sex on it. But she'd looked like an angel in this dress. It's lines simple and the back low to accommodate her wings. And it was tucked in the crease between pillows, under the blankets of my bed; crumpled into a little ball like it had been crushed in someone's palm.

"Rache!" The yell startled me and my head shot up. "Rache, I need your help! Where'd you go? Tinks knickers, you're supposed to be watching me do this!" I heard his footsteps down the hall and scrambled to put the little dress back where it had been. I stood as I stepped into my slippers and wiped the stray tears from the corners of my eyes just as Jenks stepped around the corner and into the room. He looked at my face then traced his eyes down to my feet. If I hadn't just had his wife's dress in my hand I might have thought he was ogling me. "How long does it take to change shoes?!" I looked back to my face and sneered at me. "Are you coming or not? I don't know what goes in this sauce." He put his hands on his hips but had finally given up the peter pan pose. We didn't take it seriously anymore.

"I'm coming. I had to find my slippers. They weren't where I left them." I was a bold faced lie and the look in his eyes said he knew it. I watched his eyes track past me to the bed then shift to the left and away from me.

"Well, come on. I don't want this to burn." He turned that scrumptious body and walked out the door and I couldn't bring myself to ogle him as he walked out. I just discovered a small secret he kept hidden in the blankets of my bed, now our bed. I wasn't going to pick at this. I wasn't going to ask. If he wanted to sleep with a tiny piece of his wife's memory tucked in the palm of his hand I wouldn't say a word. After all, I had a pool table in my living room. It was just a different elephant taking up space.

**I know it's short but there will be more next chapter. Have to let the story take a natural course. (Grumbles over uncooperative courses)**


	11. Chapter 11

Dinner had gone off well. Ivy had come in only moments after the food was finished. Jenks had made five dishes with no meat and it was all delicious. The lasagna was excellent and I had no idea what he put in the salad but I'd never had its equal. I was seriously considering passing the job off to him since he seemed to really enjoy it.

After dinner we'd gathered around the pool table and Ivy and I had showed him how to play pool. Okay, Ivy showed him how. All the same, we had a peaceful night with only Ceri's momentary drop in with Jih to break it up. I was relaxed and ready for bed when the time came. Ivy headed up first. Jenks and I stayed on the couch for a while longer.

"Have a good talk with Jih?" I looked across the couch at Jenks who'd slouched down into the cushions with casual and yet provocative grace.

"She asked a few questions about the little garden they're working on at Keasleys. Her husband wasn't sure about some of the seedlings and wanted a second opinion. I'll get over there tomorrow and check it out." Jih had chosen between her three bucks. He was a good pixie and Jenks and Matalina had been proud of the decision.

I nodded and yawned. It had been a good day if a little long. My thoughts wandered to my bed and then to the tiny doll sized dress on the pillow. I glanced at Jenks. His eyes were closed and his arms draped over the back of the couch. A little teasing smiled played across his lips. He was absolutely beautiful. I repeated my mantra_, "His wife just died. His wife just died"_, but it wasn't working as well as it had been a few hours ago. I bit my tongue instead and thought about that tiny dress as hard as I could. It wasn't that I wanted to jump him. Something about the way he looked and held himself seemed to beg you to point it out. I guess pixie curiosity was contagious.

"I'm off to bed." I pulled myself up from the seat and stretched. I was looking forward to settling down into warm blankets.

"I'll be there in a while. I just want to listen to a couple of songs." He cracked an eye open to smile at me then closed them again.

"Just don't forget to put them back in the right case." I left to the sound of his grumbling and slipped into my oversized shirt before crawling under the blankets drifting off to sleep.

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I was hot. Really hot. I started pulling myself from sleep and realized Jenks was in the bed. The heat from his body seeping into me from behind. I tossed the blankets aside and blinked bleary eyes at the arm resting over my waist. Why was there an arm on my waist? Oh yeah, Jenks. I shifted a little and felt Jenks tense as he woke.

"Rache? You okay?" He leaned over me but I was still trying to get the blankets off. They seemed to be stuck.

"I'm fine. I'm just hot. Help me get the blankets off." I was getting frustrated. Especially since Jenks was trying to hold me still.

"Rache, the blankets are already off. They're on the floor." I felt his hand on my head then on my thigh. "You're burning up." I rolled to my back and his face swam in my vision. Spring green eyes and a fresh college face with the most shockingly blonde hair ever to grace a human head were only inches from my reach. All I had to do was reach up and touch him. Just reach up and touch that sweet worried face. I only had a moment to contemplate the action, then my vision swam and my stomach rebelled.

0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

There was something cold on wet on my forehead and it felt so good I groaned out loud. I heard a voice a moment later and cracked my eyes open. The light that shone through the open curtain on the far wall was a shock. "Turn off the light," I grumbled.

"Rachel? You awake?" Jenks voice. He was close but I wasn't going to open my eyes to look again. "Rache?" He sounded calm but there as a tone to his voice. "You passed out. You have a really high fever. I've got you in bed and Keasley is here to check on you. Let him take a look at you."

I didn't understand why he was asking me that. I didn't have a problem with Keasley checking me out at all. In fact, what was taking him so long? And what was with these blankets?

"Rachel, you have to be still or I can't look after you." Keasleys voice right over me. Why wasn't he helping me?

"Blankets. All tangled up." My voice sounded thready and weak. Not like me at all. I really was sick.

"There aren't any blankets on the bed, witch. You kicked them off earlier. You have to be still now. We can't help you if you keep kicking us." I stilled and cracked open my eyes. Jenks was holding my legs. Someone else was holding my wrists over my head but I couldn't see them. The light was too bright.

"The light… too bright." I waited for someone to close the curtains but no one did. Had I said it out loud? God, my head hurt.

I felt hands start at my forehead and work their way down. I groaned from the aches and pains that simple touch gave me. I hurt all over. There was murmuring and I must have fallen asleep after that because I opened my eyes again to less light and Jenks. He was sitting next to the bed his head down and his elbows resting on his knees. I wasn't sure if he was asleep but with his head down and nothing but his hands showing he reminded me so much of Kisten that I started to cry.

"I miss you so much…Kisten…," tears ran down my face and a snuggled, shivering, into the blankets. At some point I'd gotten cold. I was shaking and crying. Missing Kisten. Missing my dad. "Daddy…," it was a small sound but I felt a hand on my arm and realized I spoken out loud.

"I'm so sorry, Rache. I didn't know. Please, don't be mad." Jenks was whispering next to my head. I didn't know what he was talking about, but his voice was soothing and I was so tired. I drifted off to sleep again wondering what he was so sorry for.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

Someone was arguing right over my head. It was really annoying. I cracked an eye open and looked over the covers. I was feeling a little better. I'm sure the three amulets hanging around my neck had something to do with it. The light was low which meant it was close to nightfall. Probably around eight o'clock. I'd overslept but since I was sick, I had a good excuse.

I could remember a little bit now. But only a very little. I'd been hot, then sick. I remember stumbling to the bathroom and puking all over the toilet seat and floor. I wonder who cleaned that up. I hope someone cleaned it up. I'd passed out after that. The rest was blurry images of people and movement and incoherent thought. I hadn't been this sick since I was a kid and that gave me a moment of panic. What if the disease had come back? I calmed almost instantly. I remember the pain and sickness associated with that diseased. This wasn't the same. In fact, this seemed a lot like the flu.

"Why the hell didn't you wake me up?!" Ivy. It was Ivy screaming at the top of her lungs in my room. Should have known.

"You needed to sleep. You're going to have to take care of her from now until at least four. I haven't slept all day and I have to check on some things for Jih. Get a grip, Ivy." That was my Jenks. Always a smart mouth in the face of an angry vampire.

"I could have gone without the sleep. You should have told me she was sick. _I_ should have been here!" I don't know what she thought she would have done in that case. Probably the same thing Jenks had done. Which is why Jenks didn't wake her up. She could be so hardheaded sometimes.

"Well you're here now!" I hadn't known Jenks could do female snarky, though with as many girls as he had, I shouldn't have been surprised. I'd have to ask him about that. He had a point though, and I was getting tired of the discussion. "If you two are done, do you think someone could get me some water? I feel like I have cotton in my throat."

"Rachel?" I felt Ivy move against the bed, then her hands touching me face. My eyes had closed but opened again to focus on her own brown ones. "How are you feeling? You're not feverish anymore. Are you cold?"

I smiled at the worry in her voice as I cuddled deeper into the blankets. I tried to see Jenks but he was too far out of my visibility. "I'm fine. I just want some water. My throats dry."

"She's had fever all day. She slept through most of it but her bodies still feeling it. She'll be alright by tomorrow but she's not going to be up to much more than resting today. Make sure you give her water. A little honey wouldn't hurt either. It'll help her throat and… it'll help." Jenks words were tight and I wonder what Ivy was doing that was making him angry. Oops, I'd closed my eyes again.

"Care to tell me how you know all of this?" Ivy's voice was Icy but her hands were gentle as she sat on the bed next to me and wiped my face with a wet towel. Where had the towel come from?

Jenks was silent for a moment. I wished I could see his face but Ivy wasn't letting me move and he wasn't standing where I could see him. The silence stretched and I felt Ivy tense. What was going on?

"Keasley and Ceri were here. They took care of her and gave me instructions. I have to go check on Jih, and then get some sleep. I'll check on her in a while." I heard the door close just as Ivy started to rise from the bed. She stood there a moment before stiffly lowering to my side again.

"Water, please." I lay a hand on Ivy's leg. She jumped then looked down at me. Good, my eyes were open again. I was having a little trouble controlling them at the moment.

"I'm sorry. I'll go get it. Just give me a minute." She was staring at me as if she hadn't seen me in a long time. Her distress apparent in her eyes. "You scared me today. I was so pissed when Jenks said you were sick. Then I saw you… I'll go get your water."

She rose from the bed and I closed my eyes as the door creaked open. I was bone tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep for the next month. Time passed and as I started drifting between sleep and wake I felt the light press of lips to mine. They were warm and soft and had I not been so tired I might have kissed them back. But, instead I drifted off into sleep with that soft kiss and the scent of incense and growing things mixing comfortingly in the air around me.

**Hope you enjoy. As always, read and review please.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't own any of Kim Harrison's stuff. Mores the pitty.**

It was now three in the morning and raining. All the progress I'd made was moving from the bed to the couch. I'd not even made it to the kitchen yet. Not that it matter since the smell of coffee was making me ill. I was forced to drink rosehip tea which tasted like watered down grass. And Ivy had poured enough honey in it to inebriate the entire pixie populace. So I was drinking over sweet grass water. I hated being sick.

Jenks was sleeping in the bed, hence the reason for my vacating it. But I thought it was strange that he'd stripped the bed and washed everything on it before crawling on the bare mattress to sleep. I suppose it never hurts to be cautions but I kept getting the feeling that he knew something I didn't. Apparently Ivy got the feeling too because she'd spent half the evening looking daggers toward my room and the other half mumbling about pixies as pizza toppings. I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

As if on cue, Ivy walked into the room and dropped into her chair. Something soft and with no bass was playing in deference to my headache. She lowered the volume and adjusted herself so she could look at me.

"How do you feel?" She studied my face, waiting for me answer.

"I'm fine. Just a headache and the residual nausea. I'll be alright once I can eat again. I wish I knew where I'd picked up the flu. I don't think I've ever been this sick." I sipped tea and wrinkled my nose and the mix of sweet and bitter. I missed my coffee.

Ivy nodded and settled back into the cushions. Silence followed and I couldn't help thinking back to my last moments of sleep. The soft clean scents that filled my room coupled with the scent of Ivy and Jenks as they'd moved in and out. I watched Ivy as she swung her legs idly over the chair arm. Her slender pale hands twirling circles in the air. Her eyes were closed and I wondered if she realized how relaxed and vulnerable she looked like that. All smooth grace and small Asian features packed into a tall lithe body.

"When Jenks gets up I want to ask him what Keasley said. I never got a chance before and I haven't wanted to leave you too long to go ask myself."

"Why not send one of the pixies over. I'm sure Keasley or Ceri wouldn't mind coming by."

"I didn't want to bother them. Ceri keeps elf hours and Keasley's so arthritic I feel guilty asking him to walk to the end of the drive." She took a deep breath to continue. "Besides, I can just..."

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked.

She sat still and silent, looking at the wall as if it were the Shroud of Turin. Silence, thick and suffocating filled the space between that moment and the next. Then she turned to look at me. The longing in her eyes was all I needed to see. If there had been any doubt that kiss had been hers it was gone.

"You were so pale," she said in a soft voice. "You're hair was all matted and your skin was almost translucent." She swallowed and looked back at that spot on the wall. "I was just so glad when you opened you eyes and spoke... you scared the hell out of me." She took two deep, cleansing breaths before looking at me again. "I'm sorry I took advantage... I figured you wouldn't remember." She curved her lips in a guilty half smile.

I wasn't angry with her. I'm sure I'd have done the same thing with someone I loved. I only wish I could give her the love she wanted from me. "You owe me a song."

She blinked at me bewildered. "A song?"

I nodded, "On the piano. You owe me one song. I'll let you choose but it had better be good. No chopsticks."

She looked appalled for a moment and I wondered if it was over having to play in front of me or the thought that I'd considered her playing chopsticks. When she regained her composure she gave a halting laugh. "No. No chopsticks."

Silence slipped into the room again but was no longer an oppressive thing. After a few minutes she stood and picked up my empty tea cup. "I'll go refill this. Do you think you could stomach some soup?"

I shook my head no. The thought of anything but that nasty tea raised my gore. "Just the tea, thanks."

She nodded and started for the door, only to turn and walk to stand in front of me. She leaned over me, inches from my face. My heart lept and my old vampire scars began a pleasant tingle. She stepped back just a little as her eyes lost a little of their brown to the black. "Don't tell Jenks... about the kiss I mean."

"No," I blew out on a sigh. "I won't say a word."

She licked her lips and stood perfectly still for what seemed like an eternity. Then she blinked slowly and deliberately and pulled herself upright. She throat worked a few times before she turned and went into the kitchen. I slumped back into the couch and took in a lot of air. If I weren't such a coward I could admit that I thought more of Ivy than was normal for a straight girl. But I wasn't brave and I didn't think I could give up men that easily. And the way things stood right now I knew Ivy wouldn't want to share her bed with me AND Jenks.

And as if I could conjure him with a thought, the man himself came around the corner. His chin down and looking a mixture of angry and nervous. I smiled at him and waved him over. Thoughts of thank you's and I don't know what I would have done without you's running through my head. But when he sat next to me on the couch he took my hands and gave me a stricken look. I didn't like that look.

"Jenks, what's wrong?" He didn't look good at all.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel. I didn't mean it. I didn't know! You have to believe me! I didn't know!" He was gripping my hands with far too much force.

"Jenks. Jenks you're hurting me. What's wrong? What didn't you know that I need to?" His grip only loosened a little and I started the task of prying my hands loose.

Thanks when I noticed the little dress in his lap. The beautiful dress that had been Matalina's. The dress I'd seen her where to welcome her husband home. "I didn't think witches could catch it but I guess anyone could if the virus was big enough."

"Virus?" I'd finally gotten one of my hands free when Ivy walked back into the room, steaming cup of tea in hand. She was silent as Jenks continued.

"It's a pixie virus. Wears down the immune system over a few days then makes you violently ill. It causes fever, hallucinations and vomiting in most. In some cases it causes internal damage that can be irreversible. In that case the pixie goes into a coma and..."

"Matalina." Ivy spoke from behind the couch. I looked back at the dress in his lap. He'd been gone on a two day run with me right before Matalina fell ill. When he'd come back she'd been indoors with the kids. She'd been wearing that dress. Ivy followed my eyes and frowned. Jenks looked into his lap then let go of my hands to cover the dress.

"It didn't enter my mind to wash it. I'd just wanted something that was hers. I didn't think anyone could catch it." He looked so stricken.

"It wasn't the dress Jenks." Ivy chimed in.

"How do you know that? I've been sleeping with this dress for the past week and..." Something in Ivy's look must have cut him off. He stiffened.

"You said it yourself, only pixies catch it because the virus is too small. It's not going to be any bigger coming off that dress." I felt her press against the back of the couch. She took my hand and I felt the tea cup settle into it.

"That's why you told her about the honey. You told me once it was medicinal." I gave him a stern look.

"It is. I don't know why it works but it does. I wasn't sure it would work for you but I thought you should at least try." He hung his head and absently rubbed the fabric of the dress.

"It's not your fault Jenks." I lay a hand on his shoulder. Ivy moved around to her chair and took a seat. There was something in her eyes quickly hidden as she watched us.

"We'll ask Ceri about it. She should be getting up soon. I'll go over in half an hour and see if she can shed a little light on this mystery." Ivy tossed her legs over the arm of her chair and settled in.

Jenks lifted my legs and put them in his lap as he settled himself into the corner of the couch. I leaned back and sipped my tea, watching Jenks and Ivy slide glances back and forth. Neither looking entirely happy with the other. I decided not to worry about it right then and finished my tea instead.

**I know it's short but it's July 4th and I have a child.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't own the Rachel Morgan series or anything in it. But I'd like to think that Kim Harrison would be proud of my work. **

Ceri and I sat at the table. She with a cup of tea and me with coffee. It was the next evening and I was feeling considerably better. Ivy was on a run, Jenks was in the back yard with his kids. The sight of the boys riding his pet dragonfly brought a smile to my face. But it wasn't enough to cheer me from the discussion I was having with the elf.

"But… how is that possible? I mean, shouldn't I be sicker? It killed Matalina. Shouldn't it have done more damage?" I was thoroughly confused at this point. How could I have possibly caught a pixie virus?

"Think of it as if it were the flu, which is basically what it is." She took a sip of tea then placed the cup delicately on the table. "If you were an older woman or young child and caught the flu, it would have the potential to become something much worse. Perhaps a respiratory ailment or possibly cause damage to vital organs, like the heart."

I sat back in my chair and swallowed a mouthful of coffee. I knew where she was going with this. "For a pixie, Matalina was old. Elderly actually. She didn't survive it because her body no longer had the defenses to."

Ceri nodded and gave me a solemn look. "Most likely she had been sick for some time. To keep her family from worrying she simply said nothing, or swore others to secrecy. Jih was behaving strangely only a month before her death. I suspect she knew her mother was ill and had been told to stay quiet about it."

"I can't believe I caught a pixie virus from a doll dress." I blew out a breath and raised my cup to my lips.

"That's because you didn't." I blinked at her as I sipped. "What little of the virus that might have survived on Matalina's gown could not have affected you. It's far too small and the amount would me trifling."

I lowered the cup to the table and straightened to get a better look at Ceri. "Then, what? I caught a normal flu bug or virus?"

She watched me carefully as she raised her cup from the table and to her lips. "You got sick because of Jenks."

My mouth dropped open. "What?!"

"You were exposed to the virus because of Jenks. When you twisted the curse to make him large the virus increased with him. But because it was meant for pixies, over a few days it changed itself to fit other physical forms." She tapped the side of her tea cup thoughtfully. "I examined Keasley when we returned home after seeing to you. It didn't seem to bother him. Apparently your unique physiology made you attractive to the virus."

I was staring at her, dumbfounded. "You mean the genetic quirk that makes me able to kindle demon magic was taste to the virus so it latched onto me like an ice cream cone?"

She frowned for a moment before replying. "It's an odd analogy but accurate."

I blew the wild red strand of my hair out of my face and slumped in my seat. It seemed only fair that a mutant pixie virus would find me to be a curious flavor and latch on like a leech. "Can we tell if it's gone?"

"Not really, but you are healthier physically than you were only a day ago. I have no doubt you'll be fully recovered in the next two or three days." She turned to look out the window again.

My eyes followed the line of hers and I watched as Jenks sat cross leg in the garden by the stump and laughed up at a trio of girls twirling in mid air. They dipped low then shot up in the air again to twirl and roll in a fascinating partner as Jenks cheered them on.

"I spoke with Jih, two of the boys were sick for a three days last week. They are fine now. Being young has its advantages in any species." She stood still staring at the window.

"Jenks was already sick." I mulled that over. I couldn't be angry over getting sick from a man that didn't realize he'd given to me. Then I caught on to what she was saying. "He's going to die, isn't he? He's sick and he's going to die."

She smiled serenely and shook her head. "No. Not now. You saved him from that. Making him large gave him the chance to…"

"If the disease mutated with the curse then he's still sick. Maybe it's just taking longer…" She silenced me with a look then bowed her head.

"You're too perceptive. Yes, he would still be sick… if I hadn't adjusted the curse before giving it to you." She blinked innocent eyes at me.

My jaw dropped, again. "It was the same curse you wrote in the back of the book a year ago. It looked at it. Studied it." It wasn't possible.

"With subtle differences. If you recall I gave you a second set of ingredients to change out for certain others."

I swallowed. "That was to make the curse permanent."

"In part, it was also to adjust physiology. He is not just a large pixie now. His physical strengths have been mildly heightened. I adjusted for his immune system to protect him from disease he would not have been exposed to before." She lifted her chin.

I was starting to feel dizzy. No wonder the imbalance had been so high. We were tampering with so much more than physical size. "What else?"

"Longevity." She stated it matter-of-factly. I boggled. "He is still a pixie. For all the things demon magic can do it can't change his original species. But he will age much like a witch or elf."

I was most certainly feeling dizzy. "Does he know?"

She stepped away from the window and took her tea cup to the sink. "I explained it to him but I'm not sure how much he really understood." I heard the water run then silence. "I swear to you, Rachel Marianne Morgan, I tried to talk him into waiting just a little longer. At least until the grief wasn't so sharp."

I thought about my own reservations and how a certain pixie girl had talked me out of them. "Jih get to you too?"

She snorted a very un-Ceri like sound and I had to laugh a little. "That girl could talk her way out of the Everafter with a horde of demons bowing at her feet as she went." She sighed and I heard her soft footsteps head for the door. "Jenks is lucky to have her."

I stood to walk her out the door and found that I was still more than a little sore.

"You need to continue your rest Rachel. At least two more days." She turned to walk into the hallway and I listened as she made her way to the front door, closing it solidly behind her.

I sat for a long time, sipping cold coffee and thinking about everything I'd just learned. Jenks was stronger and fast than he'd been even the first time. His life span had been lengthened by nearly 100 years. And if she hadn't twisted the curse that had done all of these things to him, he would have been dead by weeks end. I lay my arms on the table and dropped my head on top of them. Instead of watching him die in my hands as I held him I'd given him a new lease on life. Now he'd once again have to watch the people he cared about die before him. I wasn't sure we'd saved him as much as Ceri thought we had.

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Ivy sat across from me and stared. Jenks was taking a nap and I'd sat Ivy down to explain what Ceri had told me. We'd been silent for ten minutes. I wasn't sure what was going through her head but I could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. I was losing patience.

"Well, are you going to say something or drool on the table all night?"

She blinked and sneered at me. Okay, maybe the drool comment had been a bit much. "Have you talked to him yet?"

I shook my head. "No. I didn't want to bring it up until I'd had a chance to speak with you." She raised a brow and gave me a very condescending look. I really hated the eyebrow thing. "I don't know how he's going to take this and I would really like some support."

She blinked and her lips tipped up for half a second before she turned to the coffee maker to hide her face.

"Well, what part do you want to cover first?" She took out the old filter and tossed it into the bin.

"First I think we need to tell him my getting sick wasn't his fault."

"But it was his fault." She pressed the new filter into the top and started scooping the coffee grounds.

"Not the way he thinks. He couldn't help how this happened. He has to know that. Then we talk to him about the age thing." I still couldn't wrap my mind around it. Jenks could live to be well over 100 years old. He could possibly outlive me. He could outlive Ivy.

"And that's the part you're really worried about. You don't think he's going to take his longer life well?" She ran water from the tap into the carafe.

I glared at her back for a moment before replying, "Did you?" Her back stiffened and the water sloshed from the carafe to the counter.

She grabbed a towel and started mopping up the mess. "Point taken."

"I'm sorry. It was a low blow, but you understand what I'm saying. I'm just not sure how he'll handle this. He freaks out over the strangest things."

"Who does?" Jenks walked into the kitchen with sleep tousled hair and no shirt. I really needed to talk to him about that.

Ivy spared a glance back at me before refilling the carafe and starting the coffee pot. Jenks moved to the frig and pulled out a bottle of water then moved to the counter to grab the sugar container. He looked at it a moment before putting it back down and opening the bottle.

"How'd you sleep, Jenks." I'd move into this conversation slowly. Jenks was in a good mood and I'd keep him there for as long as I could.

"Great, thanks. What did Ceri say?" So much for slow conversation.

Ivy turned around and leaned back against the counter as Jenks moved to the chair we'd bought just for him. He pulled it out and dropped into it, legs spread wide and shoulders rolled forward. I had to lick my lips twice before I could speak around the saliva pooling in my mouth.

"It wasn't your fault." I looked at Ivy who studiously looked anywhere but me. Or maybe she was trying not to look at Jenks.

"Okay. Now what did she really tell you? Don't lie to me, witch." He wasn't angry yet but he would be.

Ivy came to the table and pulled dropped gracefully into her chair. Jenks looked back and forth between the two of us as we stared at one another. Long minutes passed and Jenks impatience started to show.

"Alright. Just let me get it all out before you say or do anything." And I told him everything Ceri had told me. How he'd been the one carrying the virus. How the curse had somehow turned it. I left out the part about why it found me so tasty but told him about the changes Ceri had made to the brew. When I got to the last one Jenks paled.

"Jenks? Breath, Jenks." Ivy stood and stepped behind him, ready to grab him if he started to fall.

"Jenks? Are you alright?" I reached over and took his hand.

He stared at our joined hands for a few moments before lifting his stunned and bewildered eyes to me. "She told me I'd live a little longer."

"Well, I suppose if you've been in the everafter for 1000 years, 100 doesn't seem so long." Ivy mused.

"I'm gonna live forever." Jenks whispered

"No. Not forever, but definitely longer that 20 years." I smiled at him, hoping to lighten his mood.

"Tinks panties! 100 years." He smiled a little and blinked a few times before giving off a little bark of nervous laughter.

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" I asked still holding his hand.

"Do I have a choice?"

Well, when you put it that way…

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	14. Chapter 14

**You know the drill…**

6 months later…

The moon was high and not quite full and I was bored out of my mind. I was really staring to hate his run. Surveillance could be the easiest money in the world but it was just too boring and uncomfortable. I'd opted to go alone on this one since there was suppose to be rain and I didn't want any wet pixies hiding in my hair on the way home. Plus I was using Ivy's bike since she'd needed a car for her run and mine was available. I'd thought this run would be short and simple. The law office I was working for wanted to know if their secretary was behind the disappearance of key information in a case against a high level brimstone supplier. Seems the info was disappearing in the middle of the day, probably while everyone was out to lunch. Since it was a big case the partner had gotten together and discussed all possible leaks. The secretary had been their strongest possibility.

It was getting late and Ms. Mary Sheldon had just pulled into an apartment complex I knew she didn't live in. She'd run a number of errands after leaving work, stopped for a short dinner alone then slipped into her car and made a phone call on her cell. The call had been thirty minutes long and when she'd hung up she'd driven straight here. Here being a worn down looking apartment building only a mile from the bridge into the hollows. The burgundy strained bricks were jutting out at odd angles in some spots and as I sat on the fire escape in the adjacent building I tried very hard not to touch anything. No doubt the walls were smeared with things I had no interest in bringing home.

The door opened to the apartment she'd entered only ten minutes ago and a man in a hooded sweatshirt that strained against his chest came through the door. He was tall with long slender hands but I couldn't see much else. I watched him move into the bedroom of the filthy little apartment and turn his back to the window. There seemed to be an exchange though with his broad back obscuring my sight I couldn't really see what was being exchanged. Then he bent over Ms Sheldon. I thought for a moment he'd decided to take back the payment for her information. Then a blouse flew across the lamp shade. Followed by a bra. I decided not to stick around for the rest. Seemed Ms Sheldon was going to get payment in full.

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I pulled into the garage and saw that my car was here. Ivy was back early. I kicked the stand in place and put the helmet across the seat. My hair was damp from sweating and I smelled like Ivy. I'd have to take a shower before I dealt with her tonight. Not a problem. After standing on the filthy fire escape I really needed to get clean.

I closed the front door behind me as soundlessly behind me. I could hear Ivy talking in the kitchen so I headed to me bathroom. A quick shower and a fresh set of clothes later I stepped up to my scents and picked the most horrendously expensive one on the counter. The one Ivy had gotten me. The one that completely masked my scent. I dabbed it on my wrists and behind me eyes then replaced the cap and walked out of the room.

I'd barely gotten the door closed when I heard the thud coming from the kitchen, followed by a grunt. I raced down the small hall and stopped frozen in the doorway. There were spots of blood decorating the floor, smeared here and there with footprints. But what had stopped me was Ivy at the far wall pinning Jenks against it. I couldn't see her face but I could see his. He was terrified… and mad as hell.

"Ivy!" I bounded over to them, slipping on the blood and having to catch my balance. "Ivy! Let him go!"

"Stay out of this Rache." Jenks voice was low and edged with more anger than I'd seen in his expression. What had happened while I was gone?

Ivy seemed to struggle for a moment before pushing off and Jenks. Her head was still bowed so I couldn't see her face but her words were angry. "He's right, Rachel. Butt out."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were looking for privacy. Loud crashes in my own home tend to get my attention. Next time I hear the wall crack I'll be sure to ignore it and go about my day." I was being snotty and I knew it, but something pretty bad must have happened to set Ivy on Jenks…

Ivy turned and started to limp away. It wasn't subtle, in fact, it looked painful. I just stared as she made her way into the hallway and to her room. Jenks was still standing in the same spot when I looked back. The fear had eased but the anger hadn't.

"Jenks? What?" He stepped away from the wall, which did indeed have a crack in it, and started for the back door. "Jenks?" No response. "Jenks!" The door slammed shut and I was left with a bloody kitchen and a lot of unanswered questions.

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I'd opted to leave and get take-out instead of stay in the church. Something wasn't right about the scene in the kitchen but I just didn't want to think about at the moment. So I'd hopped in my car and headed for the nearest pasta place. It was a small deli only two miles from the church. The pasta was good and the tomato sauce was always fresh. It had been doing well since Pizza Piscary had gone under new management and lost a lot of its following. I just liked that it was cheap.

"Angel Hair in red sauce, please." The woman smiled brightly as she took my order then handed it back to the cook and told me to have a seat.

I took a seat at the far wall and stared out into the small open room. The tables were lit with candles in small jelly jars and a few were occupied with young or old couples cuddled close and whispering or smiling at one another. It depressed me more than I wanted to admit. The last six months had been wonderful with Jenks in the house but they'd only served to remind me of what I'd lost. I missed Kisten. He'd had the most wonderful smile and sexy laugh. I missed the man I thought Nick had been. His betrayal had torn apart something inside of me. I wondered briefly why I hadn't let Ivy and Jenks kill him. It didn't matter. I'd still be alone. Maybe 100 years alone wouldn't be so bad. Maybe I needed to find a nice witch to settle down with and have a family. Maybe I needed to get my pasta and get out of here.

They called my number and I paid at the front, taking my little paper bag and heading for the door. The little bell rang as someone opened it and held it for me.

"Thanks." I stepped out into the cool night. And started for my car.

"Your welcome." The voice was deep and rich.

I turned to look at Glenn and my jaw dropped. "What are you doing here at this time of night?"

He might have blushed but it was too dark to see it with his dark skin. He looked through the door then back at me. "Why don't we go back inside?"

I shook my head but complied. "Just for a moment. I want to eat this before it gets cold."

He nodded and started for the counter. "I'll just order and we can leave."

"You're ordering? From here?"

This time I saw the blush. "They have to best tomato sauce in town," he whispered.

I couldn't argue with that

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**I apologize for how short the last to chapters have been. Longer and more exciting chapters coming soon I promise.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I do not own Rachel Morgan or any characters in said books.**

Glenn and I sat at the island counter and savored our pasta. The red sauce was just a little spicy and it made my nose tingle. I'd grabbed us a couple of waters to go with it, since I couldn't drink and he was still on duty. Didn't he ever sleep?

When we'd returned the church had been quiet. Ivy seemed to have turned in early and I had no idea where Jenks had gone. Not far I was sure since he didn't have a car or a license. I'd have to talk to David about that. I looked back across the island at Glenn. Why wait for David?

"Hey Glenn, I got a question for you?"

He looked up from licking some sauce off the edge of his thumb. "Shoot."

"What's it take to get a social and a license for a person who just appeared?" I gave him a meaningful look as I pushed the tub of extra sauce in front of him.

He looked at the sauce then back at me and frown. "Are you trying to bribe me to get Jenks numbers?" He shook his head. "You should know better."

I felt my eyes start to narrow. As much as I helped him and his father out you'd think they could help me out with this one _little_ thing. But no. He had to go and bring bribery into it and...

"Through in some more of that salsa and a few of the fresh tomatoes, _unsliced_, and I'll get you everything Jenks needs to be considered a legal citizen." He turned back to his pasta and poured more sauce over it.

"What? Just the tomatoes? No blackmail?" I raised my brows in mock disbelief.

"I can't blackmail you," he said around a mouth full of pasta. "All your secrets are public knowledge." He swallowed and turned to look at me again. "I've never met a person that could do some much wrong and still get away with it."

I smiled and twirled more pasta. "It's a gift." And as long as it kept him away from the real secrets Glenn could think of me as an open book.

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"Hey Rache." Jenks moved slowly into the room and sat on the other end of the couch. He settled stiffly and I knew he was still hurting from the fight he'd had with Ivy.

"Hey Jenks. Where have you been? It's late." I glanced at him in time to see him cut off the snide comment he was going to make and sigh into another.

"I went to visit Jih. See how she's doing." He tried to settle into the chair, but couldn't seem to get comfortable.

"How is she doing?" I kept him in my line of vision.

"She's fine. The garden is doing well." I felt more than saw him sift uncomfortably then he groaned. "Just go ahead and ask, Rache. I can hear the damn question on the tip of your tongue."

I didn't say anything for a moment. When I finally decided what I wanted to ask I simply turned and tossed my hand over the back of the couch to face him.

"You won't answer me. I know you won't. So I'm going to ask another question. Did you let Ceri or Keasley take a look at you?"

He looked puzzled. "What? Why would I have them take a look at me?"

"Because you're shifting around in that chair like you hurt in so many places you're not sure where. You're hurt, not that I'm surprised considering who you decided to pick a fight with. You need to be looked over to make sure you don't have any real damage." I took that moment to move a little closer. Jenks was looking at me with menace.

"I'm not that hurt. Just a couple of bruises. And it wasn't a fight!" He fidgeted then slumped in the chair. "Not at first anyway."

I moved into him then. I knew something about the confrontation between him and Ivy was eating at him. Chances were neither of them would tell me about it. I'd have to do a little digging. I really hated digging.

"It doesn't matter, Jenks. Just let me look at your back. There's a crack in the kitchen wall as tall as you are and I know it had to hurt." I didn't reach for him but I certainly wanted to. He looked so... dejected.

"Fine. Just don't poke at it." He glanced at me one last time before turning his back and pulling the shirt up.

The moment the shirt hit the middle of his back I sucked in a breath. The bruises were a deep plum color with blue in the center. One ran from his lower back to disappear under the shirt. I grabbed the hem and lifted it up higher, Jenks held it in place as I studied the heavy bruising that made it's way to his shoulders.

"Good God, Jenks!" I whispered it as I ran my hand lightly over a particularly nasty spot. Surprisingly there were no cuts or even abrasions. Just the deep bruising, more like he'd be punched repeatedly than slammed into a wall. Guess silk was a lot sturdier than I thought.

"Is it that bad? It doesn't feel good but I wasn't bleeding so I thought it would be alright." He sounded concerned. Good, maybe he'd think twice before taking on Ivy again.

"You're back is one big bruise. I'm not sure I have an ice pack big enough to cover this. It's going to take at least a week if not more to heal up." I pressed lightly on one close to his shoulder.

"Tinks skinny ass, Rache! I said NO poking at it!" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Take off the shirt. I need to make sure the front doesn't look like the back." I grabbed the hem of the shirt and he helped me pull it over his head but refused to turn when I touched his shoulder. "I can't see the front if you don't turn around."

"The fronts fine." He defended.

I gave his back a solid glare then jumped quickly up to move around him. He looked startled and pulled the shirt up to cover his chest in a move almost to quick to see. It was too late though. I'd already caught a glimps. I grabbed the shirt and yanked it out of his hand. He let it go rather than risk it being torn.

Red angry marks decorated his chest. Some had seeped a little but nothing too alarming. That is if you didn't find the fact that they were there alarming in itself. He looked like he'd been in a cat fight. I moreover, had some really rough sex.

"Ivy did this?" I bent down and reached out to touch one of the marks. Jenks jerked back.

"She was pissed." It was all he said before he bent awkwardly to grab his shirt. "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it." He stood and I grabbed his arm.

"Don't fight with her again. I don't know what it was about, but nothing could be worth this." I pointed to his chest.

He looked down at himself and smiled ruefully. "This coming from the woman who nearly gets herself killed for the simple thrill of it."

I let go of his arm and bared my teeth at him. "Go ahead, rub it in."

He chucked and shook his head as he headed for the bathroom. "Don't worry about it, Rache. It was just a nasty misunderstanding. You know how Ivy gets. We'll be fine in a couple of days when we can pretend it didn't happen."

He walked out of the room and I let him go without a word. I heard the water running in the bathroom and realized he was going to take a soak. It would hurt like hell on the scratches but the bruising would benefit. I sighed as I stood and turned off the lights.

I'd go to bed tonight and he'd wrap an arm around me and snuggle into the sheets and we'd act like nothing weird happened. But I'd notice in the last couple of weeks that Matalina's dress was no longer hiding in the sheets. And I didn't think I would forget that, although his chest was covered in claw marks, his arms were completely untouched.

It's not much of a fight if you don't fight back. What had he done to make her so angry?

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**Again it's short but I was having trouble getting it to work and the next scene just won't fit here. I'll update soon. Until then you know the drill.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Don't own Rachel Morgan Series. Boo Hoo for me.**

**Warning. Lemony goodness ahead.**

It all happened in a span of two weeks. One minute we were all going about our lives and the next there was a vampire upheaval.

Jenks and I had been out on a run when Ivy got the call from her mother, the now master vamp of the city, to come to her. A new group had slipped into town during the fall out from Piscary's death and infiltrated the then divided groups. No one even noticed they were there. Then one night they decided their time had come. The attack had been swift. A number of the undead had been slaughtered on site. Several living vamps had been taken. When Ivy arrived she'd had to fight off five sent to do away with her mother. She'd managed to stop the assassination but her father was badly injured. By the time Jenks and I found out what had happened, Ivy's mother had been secured at a new location and her father had been moved to a hospital and surrounded by guards.

Then, just one week after, I'd run into a few members of the group. Not on purpose, no matter what Jenks said, but purely by chance as I was coming out of a spell shop on the inner streets of the Hollows. They'd done their homework and knew exactly who I was. Words were exchanged, blows were exchanged, and then I'd fried one with a ball of everafter. It was an emergency. They were trying to kill me. Needless to say, I'd made a bad impression.

And now, two day's later, we were all tucked away under Ivy's parents roof. Her mother was tucked away some place even Ivy didn't know and her father was with the head vamp. There were guards posted at the door but it was mainly for show. If the splinter group came here to attack, the guards weren't who they'd have to worry about.

A pixie flew over my head and dipped to hover in front of me.

"Father would like to speak with you, Ms. Morgan." Jack explained.

"Sure. Where is he?"

"He's in the sisters room with Ms. Tamwood."

"Thank you, Jack." I smiled as I headed up the stairs.

There was a soft exhalation and then a whispered, "She remembered my name" as I moved to the top. I heard Ivy's voice as I made my way to the door. I couldn't make out what she was say but she sounded... nervous? I pondered it for a moment before moving forward. Guessing I'd be nervous to if I were staying in a house as bait while my family was hiding out.

"I just... can't, Jenks." Ivy's voice filtered through the walls.

"Can't or won't?" Jenks was starting to sound a little angry. This was only the second time in as many weeks that I'd heard it. I was starting to worry about it though.

I scuffed my feet hard on the floor as I made the rest of the trek. Hopefully they'd hear me and finish up this conversation. It sounded private and I didn't want to know right now. I had suspicions and I really wanted to keep it that way. So I was pleased when I walked in to find Ivy sitting on her sisters empty bed and Jenks standing on the far side of the room against the wall.

"What's up? Jack said you wanted me." I stood in the door and waited.

"Ivy, in her infinite wisdom, wants to stay up here while you and I sleep downstairs under lock and key." Jenks informed irritably.

"I'll be fine here. And I'll be able to intercept any attack that tries to get through." She sounded reasonable enough. To bad she was trying to convince me.

I moved over to stand next to Jenks. When dealing with Ivy it always helped to have a united front. She could deal with us one on one, but together we were a formidable team of hardheaded pains in the backside who rarely saw the reason in any of her plans. Three cheers for the pixy and the witch.

"If all of us are in the basement at once we will vulnerable. Better to have one up here as a lookout." She continued reasonable.

"That's what the guards out front are for." I replied just as reasonable.

"This group are basically terrorists. I doubt they'll allow the guard out front to make enough noise for us to hear eight feet below." Her voice smoothed out a little. Some of the gray silk of her vampire heritage peeking through.

"If that's the case you won't hear them coming either." I retorted. "And I don't want to live to explain it to your family if you die."

"Besides, my boys will be here. They know what they're doing. They have all entries covered, including the ones too small for a grown man to get into." He paused and his eyes narrowed. "Or don't you trust them?"

Ivy's brow furrowed. She was running out of excuses and we both knew it. I was just starting to wonder when she'd decide to tell us why she _really_ didn't want to sleep with us when another pixie boy, Junis, flitted into the room.

"Everythings clear, dad. We're going to camp out in the flower pots in the foyer for the night."

"Alright. Make sure you're spread out and keep quiet. If anyone makes it through the door, Jack is to come to us immediately. You, Jariath and Jumoke are to stall as long as possible." I wicked smile curved his lips. "And do as much damage as you can in the process. Remember, the bigger they are..."

"The more they bleed. Got it dad." With that the pixy disappeared out the door and left us to ponder Jenks words to his son.

After a moment all eyes were on Ivy once more. She sighed and stood, turning to straighten the comforter of her sisters bed.

"There's only one bed downstairs." She said quietly.

"I know. It's the size of two buicks lashed together." I replied.

That got a snicker from Jenks and a small smile from Ivy. She lifted from her bent position but didn't turn.

"I'm not sure there's going to be enough room." She continued.

"I found an air mattress in the closet and there are plenty of extra blankets. You two can have the bed. I'll sleep there." Jenks said, though he didn't sound happy about it. After so many nights of sleeping with me, I supposed he was feeling as though we were taking away his favorite teddy bear.

Ivy took in a deep breath and sighed again. It had been a long time since I'd seen her look so vulnerable.

"I promise to stay on my side of the bed." She looked over her shoulder at me. "I haven't forgotten what you said."

Her eyes grew heavy lidded as she turned to look at us both. If I hadn't seen that look before I'd have thought she was going to pull an aura on us to get us to back off. But this look was familiar. I'd seen it once before. A softer look. One that said she wanted something so badly and she really was afraid she didn't have the strength not to take it. I thought on the look for a long moment and realized it didn't scare me at all. Not because I trusted her not to do something I didn't want or wasn't ready for. But because, somewhere deep inside, I really wanted her to.

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The low light from the bathroom lamp shown dimly into the room as the rhythmic sound of humming music filtered to the bed. We'd all bunked down here. Jenks was on my right on an air mattress, his breathing even and soft.

Over the months he'd gotten used to our schedule and started sleeping when we did most nights. Only a day or two out of the week was spent up and moving during the day, mostly to spend time with his kids.

Ivy was to my left, as far on the opposite side of the bed as she could get. I couldn't tell about her breathing since she wasn't being at all still. She tossed and turned and thumped her pillow as if it were the bogey man all the while muttering to herself so low I couldn't understand. I was cute and I wondered if she had this much trouble going to sleep every night or if this was because of the two people in the room with her. Or the one in bed with her.

She stopped moving suddenly and I lay on my side, watching her chest move under the gown she wore. Her breast moved up and down as she breathed, too shakily to be asleep. Her legs moved under the sheets, sliding back on forth over the bed. Her arms were latched behind her head. She looked like she was bound and struggling in that position and I felt a stab of pleasure at my old scar at the thought. Yep, they were right. I really had a problem. Though at the moment it didn't seem like one.

"Can't sleep?" I inquired on a whisper and she turned her head to regard me.

In the minimal light her chocolate eyes looked black and I felt a shiver run up my spine as fear mixed with pleasure at the thought of what those possibly black eyes could mean. When she didn't reply I started to move closer. Those dark eyes widened and the mattress jerked.

"What are you doing?" She asked nearly soundlessly.

What was I doing? Playing with fire no doubt but I'd spent the last hour thinking about a kiss that had happened over a year ago and how, if I hadn't panicked it could have been something...

"I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know when I get there."

I smoothly slid over silk sheets to the woman on the other side, effectively putting a king size bed between Jenks and us and still having a full size portion to move on. It was the biggest bed I'd ever lay in and at that moment I was thankful.

"Rachel. Don't." She rolled to her side and regarded me with something like regret as I moved in next to her.

We lay face to face on our side. Neither moving either out of fear or nerves. I was pretty sure hers was the fear because I didn't feel all that afraid. I felt exhilarated. A little confused, yes, but still exhilarated. I'd thought long and hard on the idea of being gay. I didn't think I was. No other woman had ever moved me. So I considered the possibility of being bi-sexual. Again, it seemed odd. No other woman had moved me. None but Ivy. And my love for her wasn't necessarily sexual. I wasn't sure I could give her what she wanted. But I wanted to try. I wanted to feel that close connection we'd had when she'd bitten me in the van that night. I wanted feel how much she cared for me and how much my acceptance meant to her. If this was what it took for it to be safe, I could try.

"You told me I had to come to you." I reached out and touch her hair where it lay on the bed between us. "I'm here and I want to try."

I felt more than heard the breath she released. "If we start this. We finish this. If you're going to get scared and run I'm not going to do this. I can't take that. I just can't."

I processed that. I couldn't run. Couldn't say, _"Sorry. Bad idea. See ya later."_ If I did this I did it all the way. Sucking in a breath, I told the truth.

"I'm not sure if I can do... some of this tonight." I chewed my bottom lip as I shifted my hand closer to hers under by the headboard. "But I won't stop you if you... um... well, you know, want to."

Okay, so I'd just giving her permission to put her hands and possibly other things in places not many men and defiantly no woman had very been before. Oh well, too late to back out now. I felt her fingers touch mine by the headboard. Her breath feather across my cheek and her body heat increased as she moved in closer. I stayed still, waiting. Waiting for the feel of her lips on mine and wondering if it would feel the same.

"No regrets." She said a hairsbreadth from my lips.

"None." I replied and her lips touched mine.

The confusion I'd felt the first time was still there but under the weight of the possibilities it faltered and started to die. Her free hand reached up to touch my neck and I stopped it with a hand. I opened my eyes to see a puzzled look on her shadowed features.

"But I thought..." she started only to have me cut her off.

"I want to feel this for real. Let me see how it feels with just you and not the pheromone rush."

That earned my a genuine before her lips moved back toward mine and her hand dropped to my shoulder, slowly moving down my arm to my hip. My free hand moved to her hip as well as she teased at my lips with increased force.

I felt her tongue touch my lips and this time I didn't freeze. Slowly, I parted my lips and let her slip between them. She hesitated for a only a moment before rolling within and licking my teeth as well as the roof of my mouth. And I moaned at the fact that she teased just like she smell. Incense and vampire and maybe a little chocolate. I felt her shudder as she pulled back from the kiss. For a moment I though she was going to pull away but she simply smiled and spoke with a shaky breath.

"I've never tasted anything like you. Earthy and electric." She paused as her hand moved slowly up my hip and under the side of my shirt. "Are you sure?"

I moved my hand with hers, letting it slid over the silk of her night gown. "I'm sure."

Her eyes closed on a sigh and then she was leaning in again. This time she as she slipped between my lips her hand crept to the curve of my breast. I breathed deeply through my nose and relaxed as much as I could as her thumb crept over my skin in an imitation of her tongue. My hand had still on her ribs, unable or unwilling to move farther at the moment but I felt her leg brush mine and let my foot slip over hers as she moved in a little closer. Her knee broke the press of my legs and her thigh pressed into the junction between. The line of our bodies pressed close. Only our chests were separate as her thumb began to make circles around the more sensitive parts of my breast.

My tongue touched her for the first time in our long kiss and I felt her hesitate. She stilled completely as if afraid one wrong move would make me stop. But I'd come this far and I wasn't turning back now. She was a girl. So what. One girl knew another girls body more than any man ever could. And I may feel strange and it might be a little weird but I wasn't backing down. Not this time. So I ran my tongue over the roof of her mouth and felt an answering move from hers. I slipped to her teeth, feeling her fangs and rolling around them so not to get cut. When I felt her thumb press my nipple then flick it I shuddered and the game was on.

I was suddenly on my back with a thigh press hard between my legs, a hand digging into my breast and a set of soft cool lips on my neck and I'd never been happier to be there. Her teeth scraped lightly over the skin of my throat and for a moment I thought she'd bite me. The moment I thought it every muscle I had tightened and a low moan poured over my skin as my knee lifted and pressed my thigh hard between her legs. Feeling a bit odd that I'd just inadvertently dry humped my best friend I missed the hand that went to the front of my worn out t-shirt until it was shredded down the middle, baring my breast to the woman above me. Her breath was harsh as she stared down at my unimpressive breasts for a moment before lowering her head and touching her tongue to one small taunt nipple.

"Oh God, Ivy!" I cried a little too loudly but I couldn't help it. It had been so long since anyone had touched me like that. The fact that it was Ivy made it all the more pleasurable. I was giving her something she wanted. Bringing her pleasure by doing so. It was heady stuff.

She tasted lightly before pulling me into her mouth and sucking hard. I came up off the bed again, earning another moan from her and a slightly wet thigh. A moment of weird popped in my head again, only to be replaced my excited fear as I felt her teeth graze my breast. Her hands had crept down my stomach and were playing lightly with the hem of my shorts as she scrapped, once, twice, three times.

My whole body jerked and shuddered and I pulled my fisted hand into my mouth as she bit down on my sensitive breast and began to pull on it. Her mouth still rapped around my nipple she drew from the wound above it, pulling moan after moan from my fist filled mouth and making my hips buck under hers on the bed. Why had I ever told her no?

She lifted her mouth after a moment to look up at me. I watched her as my chest heaved and she licked a small line of blood that tickled down my skin.

"I want to touch you. I don't want you to be afraid." She said in a gray velvet voice that had goose bumps running up and down my arms.

I had a vague idea of what "touch" meant but I wasn't in any state to think about it. I'd waited so long for that bite. For the moment I could feel her freedom and celebration as on afterthought of that sweet kiss. To know that I'd made her stronger and happier in this moment. To know she didn't hate herself for wanted to taste me. To know she felt loved.

"Don't stop," was all I could say and with that she pulled on my aching breast and her hand slipped past the band of my shorts to replace her thigh between my legs.

In moments I was shaking with the need for release. My thigh pushing hard between her legs as her hand slid deeper between mine. I dragged the pillow from behind my head and pushed it over my face to bite down on and scream into. She shuddered and my thigh was wetter than before, then her fingers found another deeper place to explore and I felt her elation and pleasure. The moment they slide against that sensitive skin I broke apart with her joy and triumph floating in my head.

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The pillow moved from my face as I came down off of the most intense orgasms of my life. The fact that it had been Ivy to do it only cemented the fact that a woman could know another womans body better than a man. And it didn't hurt that she'd had practice.

"Are you alright?" Ivy's eyes, still black in the dim light watched my face with wary fascination.

"I think so. Wow." I'd have given her an apologetic look for the teenage comment but I just couldn't summon the energy to move my face that much. I'd been lucky I could talk.

She smiled and rolled off of me, turning to her side to watch as I got control of my faculties. When I could move again I rolled to look at her. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears as she reached hesitantly to touch my cheek. If she thought I was going to pull back after what we'd just done, she was nuts.

"Thank you." She said as her fingers alighted on my skin.

I had to smile. She rarely ever looked this soft. Not stoic, uptight, anally retentive Ivy. We looked at each other for a moment, simply watched each other with a newfound appreciation. I knew she hadn't given me the full blown act but I was confident if we did this slowly I could learn to enjoy it.

"Is it always like this?" I asked as I fingered a piece of hair near me.

"No." She replied, then sighed a smile. "Sometimes it's better."

That got me giggling. She joined me in the quiet laughter for a moment before I asked.

"So do we cuddle or what?"

She looked surprised then pleased as she rolled onto her back and offered me a shoulder.

"Cuddling would be good."

I moved in and rested my head on her shoulder. There were so few moment we were able to touch each other in the past. So many reasons we couldn't find comfort here. I prayed this was a start of something new. I start of a new kind of friendship where we could touch and hug and comfort one another as we pleased without fear or trepidation.

I cuddled in close to my friend and relaxed, almost missing the heavy footsteps that moved up the staircase and the slam of the door to the basement as it shut.

I guess we'd been too loud for Jenks after all.

**Well, what do you think? No flaming or homophobic reviews please. If you don't like it, don't read it.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry this took so long. I've been busy. Try not to let it get this far away from me again.**

I stretched only to realize there was an arm draped over my middle. I looked down at the pale arm and followed it to its source. A very still and sleeping Ivy. Her almond shaped eyes were closed and her breath brushed across my skin. I had a memory of tangled limbs and the touch of slim fingers and delicate lips. I shuddered and her lids fluttered open.

"Good evening." she said sleepily.

I simply smiled as she stretched then cuddled a little closer. A second later she tensed.

"I'm not sorry and I wouldn't mind doing it again." I said simply as I rolled to face her.

The tension in her eased for a moment before she tensed again.

"We ran Jenks out of the room last night." she said a little horrified.

"It's Jenks. He'll get over it and if he starts giving us trouble I'll just talk to him."

She frowned and watched me for a moment before wrapping her arm more fully around me.

"You sure you're okay with this?" she asked suspiciously.

I sighed and moved a little closer. Placing a very light kiss on the corner of her mouth and smiling as she moaned. The new bites she'd given me the night before hummed in answer to the pheromones she was beginning to dump into the air.

"As I recall, you told me the next time we kissed I'd be the one to do it and you'd meet me all the way. I got the impression there was no backing out. And if there were, I don't think I'd want to. Sure it's a little... different, but it's you. And if this is what it takes to prove I care and make you see how important you are then..."

I didn't get to finish my speech. She pressed her lips to mine so tightly I couldn't even open my mouth. She held us there for several breaths before she pulled back with a wicked smile.

"Just remember to go slow." I reiterated and her smile turned softer around the edges.

"I'll do my best." She said in her dark purr.

There was a loud bang from upstairs and then a long string of curses. Jenks was up and close to the door, either eavesdropping or getting one of his boys to do it. I gave the room a quick once over. I didn't like the idea of his sons watching me in a moment with Ivy. Especially since we were both showing a lot of extra skin.

"We'd better get dressed and deal with him." Ivy sighed.

"You mean we get dressed and I deal with him. You'd just kick him in the backside and tell him to get over it."

She glared but there was a smile peeking at the corners.

"It could work." she said, trying for grim.

I shook my head and went for my bag.

"Yeah. Like it worked so well last time?" She froze for a moment before picking up her own bag off the floor. "So you aren't going to tell me what happened either?"

Silence filled the space as she pulled out her clothes and went to the bathroom. I'd known she wouldn't tell me but I had to ask. Something was wrong between the two of them. I was betting their conversation the night before hadn't had all that much to do with where Ivy would sleep. But for now I'd let it go. After all, there were other ways to get the answers I wanted.

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Jenks was sitting at the kitchen table when I came up. Ivy was still drying her hair. Since it had grown longer it took more time. So I was left to deal with the brooding pixie, just as I thought I would be.

"Good evening, Jenks." I called casually.

The look he gave me was anything but pleasant. His beautiful green eyes were rimmed in shades of gray and blue and his cheeks were red and ruddy. Apparently he'd gotten more than an earful last night.

"Yeah." He finally answered, only to turn away from me to scowl at the bowl of cereal in front of him.

I noticed the open honey jar on the counter when I reached for a mug from the mug tree. Coffee first. Angry six foot four pixie next. I poured a cup and turned to stare at Jenks bare back. It was a nice back. Toned and just a little tan. His shoulders were broad and thick from the weight of wings he no longer had. I wondered if sometime he missed it. Missed being able to lift off and fly free. Maybe I'd ask Ceri about a transformation spell to pixie. I thought of the burnished old gold of my aura. Then again, maybe not.

"Are you just going to stare at me all day or are you going to talk?"

I'd been stuck in my own thoughts and hadn't notice he'd turned to me. All that angry scowl directed my way. Great. What a way to start the day.

"Sorry. You didn't look like you were in the mood to converse." I tossed out sarcastically.

He growled and turned back to the table. Junis, one of the four pixies with us, took that moment to lift off from the potted plant on the window sill and leave the room in a high pitched buzz and in a hurry. I watched him make his way into the front entrance, no doubt to spread the word about the argument to come with his brothers. I'd not met too many pixies who could keep their mouth shut. The sigh from the table caught my attention and I turned toward the current pixie problem.

"I thought you were alright with this, Jenks? If I recall correctly you told me you'd be perfectly happy with it only a year ago."

I thought I heard him say something under his breath. But when he didn't continue to mumble I thought it best not to ask. If he wanted me to hear it, he'd say it out loud.

"Jenks, if you have a problem tell me now. This isn't going to stop..."

"I know." He said quietly.

I pushed away from the counter and moved to sit next to him at the table. My back to the basement door. His curls hung into his eyes and I lifted them with my fingers. He didn't pull back so I continued to brush my fingers through his hair. It was so soft to the touch. Softer than Minias own chestnut curls. The thought of the demon familiar made me shiver and Jenks grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand away from his hair.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pull. Just got a chill." No need to let him know where my thoughts had strayed.

"I'm sorry. I don't have a problem with it. I really... I'm okay. Just..." He sighed and grabbed to handfuls of his own hair in his fists. "It's just... I was thinking about Mattie."

And it was my turn to turn red and bury my face in my hands. In our moment of self discovery neither Ivy nor I had thought about what this would do to Jenks. I knew he'd been spending a lot of time at Keasley's. Knew he'd been talking with Ceri. It hadn't occurred to me that he'd still be mourning his wife. I knew he'd always miss her but Jenks had never been one to let anything hold him down. But pixies mated for life. I'm sure the prospect of living the next 100 years without his mate was horrifying to say the least.

"Oh God! Jenks, I'm so sorry. We weren't thinking. And... I'm sorry. Really I am. I..."

I heard him chuckle and looked up. His face was still hidden by his curls but his head was up a little and staring at a point on the other side of the table.

"I figured you weren't doing a lot of 'thinking' when I looked over to see who was having the bad dream and saw Ivy draped over top of you."

I blushed again and turned to look at the counter in the opposite direction of his gaze.

"It's okay. I've known it was coming for a long time, I just... No. It's okay."

His voice had gone soft again and I peeked at the corner of my eye to see him now looking at me. I couldn't' read the look. There was something raw and very un-Jenks like in it. But he wasn't frowning. I could live with that.

"You're not going to leave are you?" I had to ask.

"Are you kidding?" He snorted and slouched back in the chair. "I'd never get rent from the two of you if I did."

I sneered but only half-heartedly. We were alright. The problem, thought not resolved had been neatly swept under the rug to deal with at another time. Maybe twenty years or so. And as I let the matter drop I turned my attention to the man in front of me with his bare chest and luscious lips that were curved in a wicked smile. I was going to have a talk with Ivy about this. Even as I relished a new relationship with Ivy I didn't think I could give up men. Not that I had them pounding on my door but the idea of never having heterosexual relations again burned a sizable hole into my libido.

"If you stare any harder you're going to burn a hole in my chest."

I blinked at the roughly spoken words and looked into Jenks eyes. He was still grinning but there was an edge to it. Something dangerous just below the surface. I had a moment to think maybe I'd pushed too far when the door to the basement open.

"Good evening, Jenks." Ivy said casually.

He didn't reply. Simply picked up his water and stepped out into the front hall. I listen to his steps echo until he got to the stairs. Ivy stood silently at the coffee pot when I turned. The thuds of Jenks footfalls echoing in her jerky motions. Something was defiantly wrong there.

"So what's the plan today." I said brightly as the second floor went quiet. "Sit around and watch tv? Go kick vampire butt? TP the neighbors yard.?"

She'd turned at the vampire butt kicking comment ready to do war only to fall into stunned silence at the last suggestion.

"Wha..." She looked bewildered for a moment before she simply started to giggle.

I'd never considered Ivy as a giggler but there it was. She bent at the waist and let the laughter fall. It almost seemed therapeutic. At least until the doorbell rang. I looked at her questioningly as she immediately became edgy. We weren't expecting company and the guards were to deter all visitors unless they were messengers from her mother.

"You stay here. I'll go check." I stood and started for the front.

"No." She grabbed my arm but I pulled it off with a gently tug.

"They wont' be after me right off. They'll expect it to be you. If the guards are dead they'll be no one between you and them. I have some energy saved." I tapped a finger to my forehead. "I can toss up a bubble faster than you can pull a sword."

She looked skeptical and I knew I was going to have to fight her on this. But it didn't matter. Jenks voice came from the door as it opened. I didn't have time to wonder how he got down without us hearing him because Ivy was pushing my back and running for the front. I went two steps after but froze when the door pulled open and a woman stepped into view.

"Ivy, you have company." Jenks said with more than a little irritation.

I simply stared at the dress pants and sweater. The soft hair and serene face. And as I prepared myself for the episode that was sure to come I was shocked to her Ivy's reply was almost as irritated at Jenks'.

"Skimmer? What the hell are you doing here?"

**Well, here it is. I know it's not super long but I debated the entrance of Skimmer for a long time before writing this. Hope you enjoy. Please read and review.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Next Chapter. Hopefully not as late at the last. Enjoy.**

I'd been ready to smile and say nice pleasant things. I'd been ready to hug her tell her how glad I was to see her. I'd been ready to thank her for saving Ivy's life and mine. I'd been ready. Then Ivy had opened her mouth.

"I thought I told you not to come back."

I wasn't a question, but a statement of fact. I hadn't known about this. I hadn't known she'd kicked Skimmer out of her life. I hadn't even thought to ask. Jenks looked just as surprised as I did and stepped back to let the woman have full view of the room, though I noticed he was tense and ready to pounce. Gotta love pixie reflexes.

"I know. I tried. But..."

The smile she'd come in with had drooped considerably. Her eyes now solemn as she stared at Ivy, almost pleading for her to listen and understand.

"Try harder."

The words slipped from her mouth like silk and I looked back at her to see her eyes already black. The air filled with energy and then with pheromones and I felt my bites prickle at the taste. Ivy's eyes cut to me and she sneered at Skimmer.

"I'm sorry. I just... I've missed you."

There was no mistaking the pain in her voice. I knew she really did think she loved Ivy. But the kind of love she offered was no better than what Piscary had been trying to shove at her for years. I'm not sure if Ivy had finally realized it or if something else had pushed her in this direction. It didn't matter as long as Skimmer went away. But that wasn't going to happen any time soon. I felt myself start to sway as pleasure coursed through the bites as scars on my skin. I'll have to talk to Ivy about limiting bitey places.

"I just want to talk, Ivy. I want to explain. Please! Will you listen to me? Just for a moment?"

I was pretty sure Ivy would have kicked her out. She looked ready to toss the woman out on her rear but Jenks stopped her. I gaped as he walked over to Ivy, put a comforting arm around her shoulder, then tipped her chin up and dropped his lips to hers. I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing. The fact that Jenks had done it was one thing. The fact that Ivy let him was a whole other.

"It's alright, babe. You go talk to her. Rache and I will wait in the den." Jenks told her as he lifted his head from her lips and winked in my direction.

And I saw exactly what he meant to do. Jenks could think on his feet faster than any man I'd ever known. The kiss as it went had been mild. Just touching lips. But the intent behind it had scalded our unwanted visitor. If looks could kill we'd all be melted puddles of goo on the floor.

"Come on, Rache. Let's go see what's on." Jenks reached out a hand to me and I took it.

And so Jenks and I walked, arms around each others waist, to the den. For all the world like a couple going to snuggle on the couch. Skimmer wanted into Ivy's world. Me, she was sure she could handle. I was her element. Jenks had just tied a big rock to her ankle and told her to swim Lake Michigan. Skimmer might think of taking on one, but having to deal with two, and a man besides, was a whole other matter.

"You have fifteen minutes." I heard Ivy say as the door to the kitchen slid shut.

"You're a smart man, Jenks." I said.

"You're just figuring this out? Fairy Farts, Rache! I've been telling you that forever!"

I laughed out and dropped to the couch as Jenks lifted the remote and turned on an old 50's detective movie. He turned up the volume and dropped down on the other side of the couch. A second later his head dropped into my lap.

"You know. If Ivy kills her , we could stuff her and prop her up in the foyer for decoration"

"That's sick!" I said as I laughed and smacked his arm. "She'd make a better coat rack."

He chuckled and settled, rubbing his check against my jeans.

"I suppose you're right. Maybe we could put her in the garden? Scare the birds away. Then again, she might scare my kids away."

I ran a hand over his arm and into his hair, fingering the tight curls. He had such soft hair.

"Are you sure this is alright?" I looked down at the side of his head. "Ivy and I, I mean?"

I couldn't read his expression but his voice was even and just a little tired when he spoke.

"I will miss you, Rache, but... Ivy needs you. And I think you need her too."

I wasn't sure what to say to that so we slipped back into silence. Me playing with his hair. Him drawing circles on my jeans with his fingers. The argument outside moved in high and low tones. What we could hear of the conversation was bitter and filled with a lot of tears. Some of which were Ivy's. I heard Kistens name and tensed. Skimmer had liked Kisten even less than she'd liked me. I didn't want to think about the way she'd simply sat back and watched Piscary toss him out with the garbage. If she'd loved Ivy she would have tired to save him. Jenks ran his hand the length of my leg by way of soothing me. There was a more than cruel tone to the conversation. Ivy was angry and bitter. Skimmer confused and frustrated. Most likely thinking we owed her for saving our lives and now understanding why Ivy couldn't see what she'd done for her. I'd have thought the same thing if I'd thought she'd done it for Ivy. Skimmer only loved herself. We all knew it.

We couldn't make out enough of the fight so Jenks turned the sound up more and we settled in to watch the movie. His long legs stretched out over the couch and I studied them all the way to his perfect feet. There was still no hair on him anywhere aside from his head and I had to wonder what else Ceri had missed in the transformation. I made a mental note to ask and looked to Jenks face. He was asleep. His features serene in the low light of the lamps. He was beautiful in the way the young men are at 18 or 19. Just tipping over into handsome but not quite there yet. I wondered if he'd ever look older than this. I lifted a finger and brushed it over one smooth cheek, running it down his perfect chin. He was warm. So warm. I was going to miss him cuddled up behind me at night. His arm draped over my waist and a hand span between his body and mine, so the heat became a cushion between us. It was comfortable and comforting. I'd have to see what Ivy thought of sharing a bed between the three of us every once in a while. I couldn't stand the thought of Jenks alone in a room, wishing for his wife or the closeness of a caring friend in the night.

A door slamming broke my concentration and woke Jenks from his light sleep. We banged heads as he reared up from my lap.

"Ouch."

"Shit."

I rubbed the sore spot on my head as footsteps moved into the room. I shifted in my seat to look at her but her eyes were all for Jenks. Her face was closed down but her eyes were still their chocolate brown. At least she hadn't lost it.

"She's gone."

Jenks nodded as did I at the blunt statement. Ivy was still staring at him with that very blank face.

"That was a smart move, Jenks." She said quietly. Then she smirked and kicked him in the shin. "Don't do it again."

It took me a moment to realize what she was talking about. I'd thought that kiss at the door had been a stroke of pure genius on Jenks part. A major blow to the major pain standing in the doorway. I hadn't thought of what Ivy would think of it. But then, I hadn't thought to see her reaction. Only Skimmers. And somehow even that didn't seem right. Why, after "consummating" this new relationship with her, had I not been upset at the site of Jenks kissing her. A thought for another day.

"You could have just _told _me! You didn't have to try and break my leg." Jenks whined as he rubbed his shin where a bruise was already forming.

"At least it wasn't your balls." Ivy replied.

I watched her smile, satisfied with her handy work as Jenks muttered under his breath but finally grinned. Obviously feeling she wouldn't go to such drastic and painful measures. He moved over a little to allow her to sit between us. The moment she sat she lay her head on my shoulder and leaned heavily on me. I put an arm around her and pulled her closer. Settling her firmly against my side.

"You wanna tell us?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not now. I just want to forget she was here."

I nodded and felt the couch shift. Looking over her shoulder I saw Jenks stand and head for the door.

"Where are you going?"

He looked back at me and there was that odd look. I just didn't know what to make of it.

"Upstairs. I need some sleep."

And with that he left Ivy and I cuddled on the couch. One of his sons following in his wake. I felt guilty. He'd been so peaceful here as we waited. So comfortable that he'd slept through most of the movie. Had he grown so used to having someone in his bed that he only truly slept when they were with him. Had I made a mistake and letting him stay with me for so long. I had to think I was just imagining it. That the look on his face wasn't the look of longing and loneliness that I was starting to think it might be.

"What are you watching?" Ivy asked lazily as she snuggled a little tighter into my arms.

I looked down at her head then back at the television. I'd have to think about Jenks later.

"It's 'Dial "M" for Murder'. It's Alfred Hitchcock."

"Oh." She said and kissed my collarbone, slowly nibbling her way to my neck.

I'd think about Jenks later.

**In my mind this chapter seems so much longer than it is. Anyway, read and review and tell me what you think**


	19. Chapter 19

David Hue, werewolf, insurance adjuster and alpha male, was not a happy man as he handed a set of papers to Jenks. He cut his eyes to the FIB agent sitting in the opposite chair then wrinkled his nose and sat back. I was pretty sure he thought this was going to come back and bite him in the ass. And with this groups track record, it could mean quite literally that.

We'd moved back into the church after a week. It hadn't taken long for the vamp threat to be dealt with. Ivy's mom seemed to have things together. It was now a week later and there had been no problems. No one had tried to break in and kill us. No one had jumped us on the street. It didn't mean we were safe, after all I was notorious for getting on peoples bad side and Ivy was... well, she was Ivy, but at least the current threat wasn't a group of angry vampires beating down the door. Now we could deal with more personal issues.

"Read them and familiarize yourself with the information. There's a copy for you but you want to know as much of it as possible in case anyone asks questions."

Jenks frowned as he pulled the first sheet to him. He wasn't pleased about this. Getting the the id numbers and information were necessary and he knew it. After all, if everyone knew he was a pixie we'd turned big, we'd have to answer a lot of questions about the kind of magic used to accomplish it. Black practitioners were frowned upon no matter what the reason for practicing. But now Jenks was dealing with a serious problem. His name. Pixies only had one and though it wasn't a problem for some it would draw unwanted attention in some circles. Those were circles we'd prefer to avoid.

"I'd suggest keeping Jenks as your surname. I doubt Rachel and Ivy will call you by anything different. And I'm sure you don't want to give it up. You simply need to choose a first name. Preferably something simple that you can remember."

I listened to David explain all this to Jenks and wondered if he realized the pixie wasn't listening.

Glenn sat across from us with a bag of chips and a large bowl of chunky salsa in front of him. It hadn't been too hard to get his help. I was pretty sure it had more to do with the fact that he liked Jenks than with the tomato supply I afforded him, but one can never tell.

"Rache?"

I looked up at the unsure sound in Jenks voice. He was looking a little shaky. I didn't think having to pick a first name was going to be that hard. But, I guess to Jenks this was like giving up a little piece of who he was. It seemed unfair to ask him to change so much. But then, he'd wanted the change. I wondered for the hundredth time if he ever wished he'd stayed small and died with his wife.

"I think I have a book with some names in it somewhere around here. You want me to find it?"

He shook his head looking back down at the papers. I moved to sit next to him, looking over his shoulder at the papers. It was overwhelming, the amount of information and the vocabulary. Then it hit me. A closer look showed Jenks staring at the pages, but not reading them. I knew he could read simply from his work, but it hadn't registered how much he could comprehend. Getting the information was one thing. Understanding it quite another. His anxiety at feeling the fool for not understanding what he was looking at closed my throat, and all at once I was angry at David. Couldn't he have made this simple? Couldn't he have explained the information instead of tossing Jenks the papers with their double meanings and horrendously large words? I looked up at the werewolf in question and realized he had no clue. These were just long winded papers with a lot of useless words that boiled down into a few simple sentences in his head. Sadly, for the rest of us, we couldn't read him mind.

"David? I think you're going to have to explain this to me. If it doesn't have a half naked man and a swooning woman painted on the front cover, I won't understand a word of it."

Glenn choked on a chip, and David cleared his throat. I heard a soft chuckle from Jenks and looked under his bangs to see the ghost of a smile on his lips. When he caught me looking he mouthed "thank you". I just shrugged and listened as David summed up the stack of papers in one paragraph.

"So all he really needs to remember is place and date of birth which I've kept as close as possible to what he's told me. Private school attended which keeps it down to one. And licensing and credentials for his various skills. The numbers will be on cards. We have you down as a non-donor so no one looks too closely at physiology. I think the FIB intend to take care of medical records."

David looked to Glenn who simply nodded and continued eating, taking sips of water between bites.

"Otherwise, everything you need is in this document. As soon as you have a full name you'll go on record as having always existed. No one will be able to tell a difference unless they spend way too much time and manpower to investigate. Chances are that will never happen, and if it does, I'm told there are back ups."

Glenn nodded again and grinned before dipping another chip in the salsa. I had to laugh.

"Don't worry, Hue. Your name won't be on anything official. Only the insurance. FIB is covering everything else. If something goes wrong, nothing is traceable back to you."

David seemed to relax a little at Glenns words. He looked back to Jenks as the pixie picked up a pen, and holding it carefully in his hand began to print out a name on the paper. No one spoke as the pen moved in slow even motions over the coffee table then was lifted and place beside the forms. Jenks stared at it for a long moment, then simply stood and left the room.

"Jenks?" I called after him but he didn't come back.

David picked up the papers and looked over them. When he reached the last page he dropped them in his open briefcase on the floor.

"So, what name did he pick?"

David looked at me as he answered Glenns question.

"Ryan. Ryan Jenks."

I thought about that for a moment. It was a simple name. One we'd all remember even if we never used it.

"Ryan Jenks." I tired.

It sounded a little odd in the air but somehow fit. Glenn chuckled as he started clearing up the mess he'd made on the coffee table.

"What's so funny?" I asked

He just shook his head and pointed to the briefcase David was now closing.

"Little King." He said, by way of explanation.

I gave him an irritated look. I really hated when people didn't just say what they meant.

"Is that suppose to mean something to me?" I asked a bit irritated.

He just chuckled some more and picked up the bag of chips and the salsa jar.

"Ryan. It means Little King."

I gave a little "o" of understanding then heard David's low rumble of laughter beside me.

"That fits." He said and, briefcase in hand, headed for the door.

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Ivy came home an hour later and dropped into her chair in the kitchen as Jenks and I stood at the stove finishing the stuffed peppers. I heard the heavy sigh and the click of the laptop closing a moment before I felt her lips against the nape of my neck.

"Sorry. I should have done this first."

I shivered as her words sent warm air across skin then smiled when he chin rested on my shoulder.

"That smells good." She told Jenks as she looked at him from her perch.

He smiled and pulled a chunk of tomato from the mixing bowl. His grin turned devilish as she raised it to Ivy's lips and purred in a not so innocent voice.

"Wanna taste?"

I felt her stiffen up for just a moment before opening her mouth and letting him slide the piece of fruit between her lips. I had to swallow twice as she caught Jenks finger between her teeth and sucked the last of the juice from it. I really needed to talk to Ivy about my man issues. Jenks wasn't usually this flirtatious but over the past couple of weeks I'd noticed he'd been pushing our boundaries more and more. Not just Ivys but mine as well.

It had been that first night back at the church. I was on the couch, Ivy draped over her chair, listening to the stereo when Jenks had come in. He'd not said a word but dropped onto the couch and lowered his head to my lap. We'd sat there for a while, relaxing and enjoying being home when he'd turned to his side and closed his eyes. I know Ivy sensed my momentary shudder and the shock but she didn't say anything when she saw Jenks back was facing the room. I'd been grateful at the time simply because I didn't know what she would have done if she'd known he'd spent the next minute lightly brushing his lips over my exposed stomach. And that didn't even count the daughter of the couple a block down. When I'd caught Jenks on a walk to simply stare at the girl as she washed the family car in her string bikini. Neither of us had broached the subject of his odd behavior. And with each advance he made we seemed to find a new way to make it into fun or a joke. Only I wasn't so sure he thought it was funny.

Ivy released his fingers and smacked her lips. "Needs salt."

I made a point to laugh as she walked away and I watched his reaction. He'd smiled but the corners of his eyes were tight and the moment he lowered his gaze the smile disappeared. Ivy moved to the hall and I heard her murmur something about a shower before the bathroom door opened and shut.

"You think this needs more salt?" He asked to my back.

I turned to see him holding another piece of tomato in front of me. But when I reached for it he pulled it away. I looked past the bit of fruit to the face of the man holding it... and stopped breathing. I'd seen that look before but never on Jenks face. Never for me.

"You look scared, Rachel."

I couldn't get any words past the dry lump in my throat. I knew my eyes were wide but I just couldn't seem to close them. If I closed them he'd move and I really didn't want him to move.

"Seems Ceri missed a few things."

I swallowed and stood stock still. The intensity of his gaze at that moment could drop a garden full of faeries. The fact that it was trained on me and for another reason that killing was more than a little disconcerting.

"Do you know why I have so many kids, Rachel?"

I'd love to have thought this was all a big joke but he'd called me Rachel twice in less than a minute. This was no joke.

"She missed the pixie sex drive by about a mile." He chuckled without humor.

Oh God, this was so not good. I took a step back and he followed me leaving precisely the same amount of space between us.

"I thought she'd left me some peace knowing that Mattie was it for me, but that's gone. Memories of her don't help anymore. Then as long as you were there it was alright. I could forget about it if you were next to me and I could breath you all night. But then you were gone. You spend most nights with Ivy and the few you spend with me it's all I can do not to..."

I watched him swallow twice and thought about running for the door but I'd never make it. Jenks had once told me pixies were most aggressive when fighting or having sex. Something told me running wouldn't be a good idea.

"Rachel, I'm going to put his tomato in your mouth, you're going to eat it, then I'm going to leave the room and you aren't going to follow me. Got it?"

"Yeah." I whispered and watched as his raised hand moved toward my mouth again.

He was shaking a little when the tomato touch my lips and I heard his breath catch as I opened my mouth and let it and his fingers pass between them. I tried not to breath and failed when I felt a drop of juice hit my tongue. But Jenks didn't drop it. He held it poised over my tongue with his thumb and forefinger and waited.

His voice was shaky when he spoke.

"Take it."

I did not want to tease him. Not like Ivy. Not now that I knew what it was doing to him. I curled my tongue up in an attempt to nudge the tomato from his grip. When it didn't budge I tried pulling back to catch it with my teeth. A hand at the back of my head stopped the movement and suddenly Jenks face was directly next to mine. His face turned slightly to see my profile.

"Take the damn tomato, Rache!" He whispered harshly in my ear.

I turned my eyes away and closed my eyes so I wouldn't see his face. Then wrapped by tongue between his fingers, brushing their sides, and pulled the tomato from between them. I felt the pads of his fingers rough against my tongue and shuddered at the taste of wet new leaves mixed with tomato and herbs. Jenks shuddered against me and slowly pulled his fingers out his thumb drawing across my bottom row of teeth and down my chin.

"Oh God, Jenks." My voice was so small and soft.

"Don't! Don't say anything." He whispered with his hand still in my hair and his lips still pressed to my temple.

In a sudden move he let me go. He didn't look at me. He didn't turn in my direction. He simply moved past my shoulder from where he stood and quickly paced out of the room. I didn't hear his footsteps as he went, only the front door slamming closed behind him. And for a moment all I could do was stand there with my hand to my lips and wonder if Jenks was going to kill something or find someone to have sex with.

I guess it was pretty telling that I hoped it was the former.

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**I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Let me know what you think and be honest. I can do edits and rewrites if I need to. Review are appreciated.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello everyone. Well, it seems we have some concerns from the last chapter. I was going to address those concerns here but I think I'll let the chapter address as much as possible. So, this extra scene is for all of you. Hope it helps make thing a little clearer. Sorry if the story has taken a turn you don't like. I hope you still keep reading.**

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Sitting at Keasleys small table the next afternoon I rubbed my eyes and sighed at the blush on Ceris face. I'd come to talk to her about Jenks. The moment I'd mentioned possible mistakes in the curse she turned a bright shade of red and it hadn't gone away. I suspected Jenks had asked her some questions before. Now I knew he had.

"The changes in the curse were to cover the more unique aspects of pixie physiology. I was covering the biological traits. I didn't account for instinct. Those things can not be changed. I simply thought it would even out with the transformation as the other biological features did. I should have known. Jenks is a man who follows his instincts."

I stared at her for a long time. What was I suppose to say to this? She'd not done it on purpose.

"I thought pixies mated for life?" I asked. Worried that the curse had made more damaging changes than we might have suspected.

"Their race only lives for twenty years, Rachel. It's instinct." She smiled at me a little condescendingly.

I remember all the times Jenks had talked about his and Matalinas courtship. There hadn't been one really. She'd saved him from the cold, brutal beatings and possible starvation and he'd come back and stolen her in thanks for her kindness. It hadn't been like his daughter, Jih. He hadn't gone to her family for approval. Matalina hadn't worked with him to see if he could hold a flower pot for them. She'd saved him against her family's wishes and when he'd come back she'd sneaked away with him. That wasn't instinct.

"It wasn't that way for Jenks and Matalina." I said with certainty.

Ceri smiled and leaned back into her chair. The embarrassed blush she'd worn for most of my visit finally receding.

"Jenks and Matalina were special. Instinct and tradition didn't bring them together. They truly loved one another. That's rare, even for us." Her smile was wistful and I wondered if she'd left someone behind when she'd gone with Al so long ago or if that smile was for the demon himself. "Love has a magic all its own. That's why his relationship with you and Ivy works so well, I think."

That got my attention. Jenks asked me a lot if I loved him. Lately he hadn't asked me at all. Especially not since Ivy and I had made our relationship permanent. In fact, he'd been angry, sullen and, rather like a teenager, angsty.

"I don't know that he's doing so well with Ivy and I. He's been angry and aggressive lately. If he's not pushing our limits he's skulking in the shadows and avoiding us."

She gave me a serene smile to go with the new blush on her cheeks. It was really cute on her. Especially since it matched her pink sweater.

"To all who'd care to look, he's a nineteen year old boy. Unless things have changed much since my time, I believe young men that age became rather frustrated when they couldn't find relief."

I blinked at her with my mouth hanging a little open. She was not saying what I thought she was saying.

"Are you trying to tell me that Jenks is horny and doesn't know what to do about it?"

She wrinkled her brow and thought about that for a moment. The word seemed to stump her then come into context as she replayed it in her head. She blushed even harder.

"I wouldn't say he doesn't know what to do about... his frustration but in this case I suppose you would be right." She didn't look at me as she said it.

"So let me get this straight. The curse only covered physical or biological changes. Instinct was untouched and that's where most of his _problems_ are coming from." She nodded. "Pixie mating is merely a tradition or instinct so it isn't covered under curse changes." Again she nodded. "But Jenks loved his wife..."

"And that is the problem." She cut in.

I didn't get it. This made no sense to me at all. He was a man in love with his wife. When my father died my mother never remarried. She'd probably grow old and die alone with nothing but my brother and I. I just didn't understand this. We'd made Jenks big so he could live out the rest of his days taking care of us. Because he thought we needed to be taken care of. Because he loved us.

"Matalina was everything for Jenks." She watched me closely as if knowing what I was thinking. "As long as she was with him she was all he needed. When she died and he came to us, he used her memory as a buffer. If she'd been the only woman he could ever love it might have been enough. If he'd stayed a pixie he'd have simply died within a few months of her."

I was starting to see where this was going and I wasn't sure I wanted to know. Jenks was my friend. I loved him and God knows he was fine but ...

"You are more than just his partner. More than just a friend. You're his confidant. His safe haven. He trusts you where he will trust no other."

"And Ivy?" I asked, though I was pretty sure what she'd say.

"She dangerous. For a man who's accustom to fighting for everything he has and loving every minute of it, imagine what she represents." She was back to smiling again. And I was pretty sure the rush of danger was something she'd know very well. You had to be real adrenaline junkie to play with demons.

I dropped my head on the table and sighed out several breaths. It had taken too long for me to get my breath back after the scene with Jenks last night. I'd stayed with Ivy but didn't say anything about it. Hoping a night of new experiences with her would drown out the whole ordeal. Yet here I was. And now I was having to deal with an undersexed teenage pixie.

"But just as he's frustrated he's no doubt fearful of being rejected and most likely feeling guilty that he's betrayed his wife." She leaned into the small window of the kitchen to look out at the little garden there.

So he was an undersexed guilt ridden teenage pixie with performance anxiety. How did I get so lucky.

"I'm honestly surprised he's not made some gesture before this." She added almost casually as if last night he'd merely asked to hold my hand but it started me thinking.

The night at Ivy's parents when he'd lain sleeping in my lap and let me play with his hair. The morning we'd gone to sleep and he'd tucked his hand under my breasts instead of at my waist. And the day I'd come home to find a six foot four dent in the kitchen wall and Ivy ready to attack.

"He has." I said quietly, knowing I needed to talk to Ivy and get the truth out of her now.

I looked out the window at Jih and her husband as they moved around the garden. Jih was tending a small flower bed while her husband fussed over her to take a break. She was due in a few days, maybe a week. Jenks was so excited though he tried to hide it. He hadn't thought he'd live to see his grandchildren. He now had the potential to see the next five generations. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad for him.

"I need to go." I said as I stood and grabbed my spell book, the excuse I'd given for coming over here.

"I am sorry, Rachel." She took my hand as I opened the door to leave.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for. You didn't do this on purpose. I don't think any of us really thought this out before we did it. I just wish we'd had more time." I pulled my hand from hers and stepped out of the door.

"If I might give you a little advise?" She asked from the porch. I stood on the bottom step, one foot on the walk, when I turned to look at her.

"Don't run from this. I know you're afraid of it. Afraid of what will happen if you try, but waiting too long will only make him feel rejected and ashamed. Jenks is too proud to tolerate that."

I nodded agreement. I had no intention of running from this. I'd learned my lesson with Ivy. Fear can cost you far too much. I'd lost enough to hesitation and rash behavior. Jenks would not be a casualty of mine and Ivy's hang ups.

"I'll see you soon, Ceri. Ivy and I have a lot to talk about."

She smiled at me. A genuine smile that lite her whole face. If I didn't know her I'd have said she looked like an angel.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0

"He kissed you?"

Ivy and I were standing at the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee each. I'd been hounding her to tell me what happened the night she and Jenks had fought. She hadn't wanted to fess up until I told her about Jenks outburst the night before.

"Yes." She tilted her hip against the counter. The soft black leather of her pants lightly creaking.

"So... how did you go from him kissing you to him through the wall?"

She had the grace to blush though she didn't look happy about it. I had to guess she didn't take the kiss well. I supposed he handled it badly or she just wasn't in the mood.

"We were fighting before he kissed me. I was pissed he was sleeping with you and he was denying it and..."

"Wait." She stopped and looked at me, confused. "You were mad he was sleeping in my bed?"

She gave me an exasperated look. "No. I was mad because he was fucking you!"

My eyes widened and then I blushed. Sad, how we somehow missed this. After everything she and I had done together she'd never said a word about it. Though it really wasn't any of her business, still you would assume she might have mentioned it.

"Uh, Ivy, I've never had sex with Jenks."

She blinked. Then blinked again. And like magic, all the color drained from her face. Her mouth dropped slightly open and she stared at me like she might faint.

"You're not lying."

"No. I'm not. Didn't Jenks tell you?"

She nodded several times. "I didn't believe him."

"Why not???"

She looked away and grimaced.

"He'd say anything to protect you and..."

I shook my head and turned away as well, leaning my back against the counter.

"When I wouldn't believe him he kissed me. He said he knew I could taste you if he'd been with you." I listened to the shock in her voice. She'd really thought Jenks and I were sleeping together in more than a platonic way.

I sighed. "So he kissed you and you slammed him into the kitchen wall."

"Well," she hedged, "actually he kissed me and I hadn't taken blood in two days."

It was my turn to look shocked and a little sick.

"I didn't bite him!" She snapped. "He realized what was happening and shoved his arm in my face then swiped my feet from under me and stomped my knee." She sniffed. "He's faster than he looks."

I choked. So that's why the two of them had looked like road kill.

"We were talking about it that night at my parents house."

I thought back the conversation I'd heard. I'd thought at the time she was angry over not being allowed to make that decision on her own. Now I realized she thought she'd have to watch Jenks and I get cozy. No wonder she'd acted the way she had. No wonder she'd been so horrified at running Jenks out of the room. Oh God, she thought she'd mooched me off of Jenks!

"You know, we really need to work on our communication skills. All three of us." I said in amused and sarcastic tones.

I heard her chuckle a little before I felt her hand brush mine as she moved closer.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I just... It seemed like every time I turned around there was someone else asking for your attentions. I love Jenks but I didn't want to lose you to him. I should have known better."

Her thumb ran circles over my knuckles and I squeezed her fingers reassuringly.

"So what did Ceri say exactly?"

I heard the reservation in her voice but explained to her what Ceri had told me. She was quiet for some time after that. Only the sound of leather creaking softly and our breathing broke the silence. Then she broke away from the counter, setting her now cool coffee mug behind her as she moved to stand in front of me.

"We really fucked him up didn't we?" She asked.

"No. We just didn't let him die. Now he has regrets."

"I guess he wouldn't have had time to regret not having us if we'd let him die."

"I suppose but it's all worthless conjecture now."

"Conjecture. That's a big word for you." She curled her lips into an evil grin.

"Be nice or you sleep on the couch." I sneered back.

"It's my room. You sleep on the couch." She whispered as she leaned in for a soft kiss. Just a whisper of lips, nothing more. "What do you want to do about Jenks?"

I sighed against her lips and shivered at the tingle of my bites as Ivy began pumping pheromones into the room. I leaned into her shoulder and brushed my lips against her neck as I answered.

"I don't want to lose him, but I'm not sure how I feel about other women."

I felt her nod against my forehead then the tendons in her neck move as she smiled.

"I know how I feel about it. I'm just not sure I'm ready for what it means." She replied softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I moved my lips up her neck to her jawline and followed them to her lips once again.

Her hands moved under the hem of my shirt. Her skin was cool against mine and I shivered when her palm traced the outer edge of my breast. My hands followed the line of her waistband and slipped over the buttery leather over the mounds of her butt. I squeezed and she groaned, her fingers digging into my breast and her lips falling to mine. Our noses bumped as we switched directions and I breathed in the smell of incense and vampire and sank into the jolts of pleasure breaking over different bites on my body.

I'd just loosened the buttons of her pants and slipped my hands inside when the air pressure changed in the room. The scent of night air wafting over us clued us in that the garden door was open but not in time to pull apart. A quickly indrawn breath followed by a whimper pulled our eyes to the door.

"All the pixie lords of hell! You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Jenks cried wide eyed and ridged from the open door.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0

**I hope this helps a little and I hope you still like it. I'm not far from the end... I think but you never know. Anywho, please review.**


	21. Chapter 21

"Jenks!"

He was through the kitchen and into the hall by the time I yelled. Ivy was cursing under her breath and trying to untangle her hands from my shirt. How we managed to get ourselves in these situations I'd never know. Somehow our timing was always wrong.

"Lift your arms." Ivy commanded.

Ivy's drew the shirt over my head. As it cleared my wrists I saw her own hands tangled in the crisscrossed back straps. The mesh had torn a little and her hands were twisted in the material from our hurried attempt to separate.

"Go after him. I'll catch up." She snarled as the material ripped in her hands.

I didn't argue. If Jenks would listen to anyone it was usually me. Why, I'd never understand. The shower started in the bathroom and I rounded the kitchen door and I headed for it at break neck speed, hitting the door with more force than necessary only to rebound off of it since it was locked. My back hit the wall behind me and I took a moment to catch my breath before trying to door again banging on it a few times for good measure.

"Jenks! Open the door!" I hit it again and leaned into it, pushing hard.

"Go away, Rache." His voice was muffled by the running water.

"Jenks! Please!" I leaned into the door again, trying the knob in the hopes the flimsy lock might give.

Silence was his only answer.

Ivy came down the hall in long liquid strides. Her face impassive.

"He's locked the door. I ..."

Her booted foot made contact with the seam of the door. The lock gave and the door flew open to slam against the washer behind it. The shower was spraying mild amounts of steam as Ivy ripped back the curtain. Jenks sat in the bottom, his head on his knees and fully dressed. The spring green silk shirt that matched his eyes was dark and matted to his chest. His sunshine yellow hair falling in ringlets around his lightly tanned face. He looked every inch the pixie he was, sitting at the bottom of the bathtub and looking belligerently at the two of us. When he stopped at me his eyes widened as he noticed I was only wearing a bra. He growled.

"You lost something."

And then Ivy got in the tub, fully dressed and looking lethal.

"She didn't lose it. I took it. Just like I'm taking this." She grabbed the front of his shirt and jerked. Buttons went flying everywhere.

"What the hell do you think you're ..." Jenks reached for Ivy only to have his arms momentarily pinned by his shirt. Just long enough for Ivy to swoop in lick the edge of his bottom lip.

All movement stopped. Mine, Jenks and Ivy's. I watched Jenks eyes widen farther. Watched Ivy's hands move to trace his cheekbones with her thumbs. I was kneeling by the tub before I ever knew I moved; reaching out to the two of them.

"For the love of Tink, please don't do this to me." Jenks whispered as his frightened eyes shifting between the two of us.

I glanced at Ivy's face. Her eyes were starting to lose the brown ring to an all encompassing black. Jenks fear was a like a drug. Her entire body shuddered at Jenks weak attempts to move. My body began to tingle as her drugging scent filled the room. I wasn't a shadow. She didn't bite me every night. She looked for other sources for fear she might hurt me. But the look on her face said plainly she was faced with too much temptation with Jenks and I right in front of her. She shuddered again, and as quickly as she gotten in the shower, she was out of it. Her wet clothing was tight to her body; the leather going splotchy from the water. She blinked black eyes at the two of us. I know mine were hooded with the wash of desire running through me. Jenks simply looked stunned, by fear or sadness I wasn't sure. Both were visible on his so young face.

"You can't have it both ways, Jenks. I will tell you the same thing I told Rachel. All or nothing. No halfway." Her eyes were starting to melt back to brown as she grabbed a towel from the top of the dry and walked out of the door.

When it closed I turned to look at Jenks. He was staring at the closed door as if it would open again any second. When it didn't his expression turned lost. I'd known he feared failure and weakness. I hadn't known he could feel this level of rejection. But Ivy hadn't rejected him. She'd set down ground rules. Just as she had for me. Not surprising that Jenks didn't think the rules applied to him.

"Jenks." I touched his arm and he looked at me. A boys face with the eyes of a man who'd seen and lost far too much in one short life.

"What kind of man am I, Rache?"

I wasn't sure how to answer that question. I wasn't even sure it was a question. I looked lost and afraid. I didn't like the look on Jenks. He was far too strong and far too proud for this.

"What kind of man leaves his wifes grave to find his partners necking in the kitchen and thinks its hot?" He laughed without humor as he turned his eyes away from me.

"A normal one." I offered in a quiet voice. "Though I think most normal men would probably want to join in."

His face now buried in his knees and water rushing over his head and chuckled. This time it held a little humor.

"Then I guess I'm pretty normal." He mumbled.

I smiled and stood to pull a towel from the pile on top of the dryer then shut off the water in the shower. Jenks shivered and I helped him stand and get rid of the last of his shirt. His pants were soaked and the bulge in the front was clearly defined in the clingy material. I draped the towel over his shoulders and started drying him. He tried to take the towel away so I reached for another and tossed it in his face.

"Take off the pants. You're starting to shiver." I reached for the buttons and he slapped my hands away with a grunt.

"The water was starting to get cold. I didn't notice until Ivy left." The button and zipper came loose in his hands and his let the pants drop as he held the towel in front of his boxers. When the boxers fell the towel was around his waist. I ignored it as much as possible. He was embarrassed and didn't want me to see. That was fine. For now.

"Most people take cold showers when they're trying to _cool off_ ." I rubbed the water from his back a little more vigorously than necessary.

"I don't like being cold and besides," he sighed as he turned to face me, "they don't work anymore."

I let the towel in my hand fall to the floor and reached up to touch his face. He didn't flinch, just gave a resigned sigh and closed his eyes.

"I abandoned my family. I left my kids to fend for themselves so I could play detective with my friends. The grass has just covered my wifes grave and I'm entertaining ideas of threesomes with my partners." He sounded so defeated.

"Do you love me?" I asked.

His eyes opened instantly and he stared at me for a moment. I almost laughed at the stunned look on his face.

"Rache? Wha?" He didn't move as I ran a finger over his check and trap a curl and twirl it around my finger.

"Do you love me? Yes... or no."

His eyes slowly slid closed as my fingers found the skin under all that bright yellow hair. I could feel his breath on my face, he was so close. I'd been close to him a thousand times before and never really seen him. Never noticed the way his lips were always tilted in a slight smile. The way his eyes dipped at the corners. The fact that his ears looked almost pointed. I watched his eyes shift under his lids as he tried to decide what I really wanted and notice his skin sparkled, as though his pixie dust were trapped beneath is surface.

"Yes." He breathed it. Almost as if he were afraid to say it too loud. More like a curse than a statement or declaration.

"Good." I said and reached with both hands to pull his face to mine.

He hadn't known I was going to kiss him. I was pretty sure it hadn't even crossed his mind. I'd been up close and personal with him many times before and had never done this. So he hesitated when my lips touched his. Just a brush. Just something simple and comfortable. Something to let him know it was okay. That I loved him too. But hesitation in battle can get you killed and Jenks was anything but shy. The moment my tongue swept over his lips he had me pinned to the dryer. I'd worry later how I got there. At that moment I couldn't have analyzed it if I tried. His tongue swept over the roof of my mouth and I felt the reverberation of his growl all the way down my chest. He pulled back, pulling a little on my bottom lip with his teeth, and gave me a quizzical if hungry look.

"What are the two of you doing?" He asked a little harshly.

I only had enough sense for one answer and that wasn't what was on my mind. I gripped his face in my hands again and felt his fingers tighten on my bare sides. His hands were so hot.

"You really do taste like Oak Leaves."

I licked my lips to savor the taste and he groaned before diving back into my mouth and pressing my back harder into the dryer. If we stayed like this too long he was going to be carrying me out. He left my mouth to trail his lips and teeth over my neck and shoulders and I was just about to point out the uncomfortable position when I heard the crash. We both stopped what we were doing and looked toward the door. There was no other sound but a smell was wafting toward us and I frozen in fear.

"Oh God!"

I pushed Jenks and his wide eyed understanding off of me and ran out the door and down the all. The smell was stronger here and as I neared the kitchen it became overwhelming. I tuned out Jenks calls for me to wait and skidded to a halt in the open door of the kitchen.

Ivy was sprawled on the floor in front of the stove looking somewhere between angry, horrified and terrified. I followed her gaze to the door and my stomach dropped. I felt bile rise in my throat and had to hold in the need to puke. This was no happening. This could not be happening.

"Hello, Rachel Marianna Morgan. I've looked forward to seeing you again."

I clenched my fists and ignored the tears running down my face. I was one step into the door when I heard the low growl from behind me. Another step and a golden blur flew past me. I stopped, awestruck and terrified as Jenks dropped to a crouch and placed the blade of Ivy's sword to Kistens exposed throat and the leather clad vampire stared smiling at him with goat slitted eyes.

**Well, here it is. Sorry it took so long. Not done yet but in the home stretch. Let me know what you think. You know what to do.**


	22. Chapter 22

**I know it's been a little while. Hope this makes you happy or at least wets your whistle. More to come soon so enjoy.**

I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. Down the hall Ivy was cleaning the glass and blood off the floor while pixies patrolled the entrances. I sighed and rested my head against the door. Jenks was behind it. Breathing but badly beaten. Ceri and Keasley had come at the request of some of the pixies. Neither of them could say how long it would take Jenks to recover. If I'd had to guess I'd say never. Having seen the fight I knew exactly how much force had been put into each hit. Exactly what curses had been thrown. I could still hear the bones cracking under the strain. The only good thing I could say about it was that Jenks had gotten in a few hard hits of his own. Al would think twice before barging in on us again.

I'd had a moment of complete anguish when I saw Kisten standing alive and well in that door. I'd known it wasn't him. I'd known he was dead and nothing on earth could bring him back. But seeing him standing there was a blow to my heart and for a moment I'd wanted to walk up and hold him. Then a naked pixie with a two foot katana had flown over my head and I went from despair to panic in a matter of moments. I'd had a thought to through a ball of Everafter at the nasty demon. I'd even thought to get us all to the center island and through up a circle using the outline already etched into the floor. A thousand things ran through my head before the first scream rent the air. Only it hadn't been Jenks. Al had been so surprised by the arrival of the nude sword wielding warrior that he hadn't considered anyone, as young as Jenks appeared to be, could move with any speed or skill. And I got to see, for the second time in my life, exactly how well a pixie can fight. It hadn't been a long fight, and Al was older and wiser by far. Jenks had dealt him several blows and the demon was bleeding pretty badly when Jenks managed to corral him into the circle of salt I had started. The moment he was in I finished it and raised the bubble of Everafter. Al, in his haste to continue the fight, ran straight into it and broke his nose. That small amount of satisfaction stayed with me until I'd banished him from our realm properly. Then it died as Jenks swayed and dropped like a rock to the kitchen floor. His battered and broken body finally giving out. Ivy was dragged herself, shaking, from the floor and helped me move him to the bedroom.

"How is he?" Ivy's voice called from the kitchen entrance.

I blew the hair from my face and pushed off the wall to walk toward her.

"He's not awake yet but I'm sure that's not a bad thing. He looks alright though. A lot of cuts and bruises and a few burns. Some of it's already healing but Ceri and Keasley weren't sure how long that was going to take and what kind of permanent damage there might be." I shrugged and leaned against the wall next to the door.

"I'm sorry." She said as she stared at the wall in front of her.

"Why? You didn't know he was going to barge into the kitchen. I knew we should have had it sanctified with the rest of the church." I'd wanted to but it had simply been too expensive.

"Not that. I'm sorry I left you to fight it out. I'm sorry I let Jenks get hurt like this. Hell, I'm sorry I didn't kick his ass the moment he walked in with that face. I just…"

"It threw me too. For just a moment I wanted to believe."

We both stared at each other a moment before turning away.

"Jenks kicks ass." Ivy said with a small smile.

"You haven't even seen the half of it." I reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist as we both moved back into the kitchen to finish the cleanup.

o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0

_One month later:_

"The salsas in the bag along with the think tomato paste and the extra chunky spaghetti sauce."

I handed off the bag to Glenn who was perusing the contents with a studious eye.

"Where did the spaghetti sauce come from?" Glenn asked suspiciously.

"Jenks made it." I laughed.

Ever since Ivy had made the sauce that caused half the dinner party to spend their night on the bathroom floor, Glenn hadn't trusted her cooking.

The FIB special agent breathed a sigh of relief and appreciation as he hitched the bag up onto his shoulder.

"How's Jenks?" He asked as I walked him to the front door.

"Doing pretty well." It hadn't taken too long for him to get up and moving but the giant pixie still wasn't completely up to snuff. At least not in his own opinion. "He's got a scar on his forehead but his bangs hide that. His left arm is still a little stiff too but that should work itself out in a few more weeks. Ceri's giving him therapy for the 'muscle trauma'."

Glenn grinned wide and shook his head. "That must be a real hardship."

"Oh, it's nothing like that." I smiled my best wicked smile. "She's a task master. He groans and complains over the exercises and 'torture' she puts him through daily. She may be nice to look at but she takes her healing VERY seriously."

Glenn simply chuckled and stopped out of the now open front door.

"Well, tell Jenks I asked about him and let him know I feel his pain." He winked at me and walked down the steps. "I've always thought therapists were sadistic demons in disguise."

I rolled my eyes at his back and waved to him as he stepped into his car.

"Thanks for at 'supplies', Rachel. I'll see you next week."

I shut the door as the car speed off and heard the back door to the garden open and close. Shuffling footsteps told me it was Jenks coming in from the garden. The light had slowly faded from the sky as Glenn and I talked. Ivy was at her parents' house. Something about an intervention. Whether it dealt with her sister or her father she didn't say. I'd offered to go but she'd kissed me and told me she wouldn't be long. So Jenks and I were here alone tonight with a pot of homemade soup and a Gene Kelly film.

"Rache? You in there?"

I stepped from the short hall into the kitchen and smiled at him. His loose linen pants floated around his bare feet as he moved to the stove to stir the soup.

"I'm right here."

He turned and smiled at me. The slight discoloration on his left cheekbone not marring the perfection of his face. His teeth were still the whitest I'd ever seen, especially for someone who'd eaten sugar as a daily diet for 18 years. And that brought another thought. He'd be turning twenty soon. He'd be reaching the end of a pixies lifespan in a matter of weeks. It saddened me to think how little time he'd really had left. I hated he'd had to make so many changes but selfishly thanked whatever force had pushed him to make his hasty decision to become big. I never wanted to find out what a life without Jenks was like.

"You gonna stare at my ass all night or are you gonna help me?"

Since the fight with Al we'd not had any reoccurrences of the more aggressive and frustrated Jenks. Most likely pain was to blame for that. It had taken some time for him to heal and he still had a few bruises that had been bone deep. I was almost sorry to have lost the chance to have a little taste of the playboy pixie. So was Ivy. We'd talked a few nights over it and we'd made a decision. If he wanted to find someone that was fine. But we'd offer him us first. Ivy was willing to hold out on tasting him. Jenks still had issues with blood loss. She'd done really well with balancing me so I didn't doubt her words. And both of us seem to be the jealous type. Turns out neither of us really wanted to share. Who'd have thought it?

"Stare at your ass." I said dead pan. "Oh? That wasn't a question?"

I dodged the soup spoon as it flew past my head and ran at him full speed. He jumped back and leapt over Ivys chair, spinning it around to use as a shield. I rounded the center island and grinned at him. He grinned back.

"Think throwing a spoon at me is going to get me to back down?" I teased.

His smiled faltered a little and something flashed behind his eyes. The teasing was a little forced when he replied, "Just defending my honor."

"I'd buy that if I didn't know which honor you were referring to."

I took two steps toward him and he backed the same.

"Are you implying that I am without virtue? I'll have you know I was faithful to my wife for our entire ten years and went to her bed a virgin."

I hadn't known the last but I wasn't surprised.

"I have no doubt about it. But I was referring to what you did with the wife in question."

I pounced and we rolled laughing to the floor. A mild tickle fight ensued and we were both panting breathlessly on our backs when we'd finished. When both of us had our laughter and air under control Jenks turned his head to me with a wicked grin.

"There is nothing wrong with being a little kinky. Mattie and I were just more 'creative' in our virtue."

The faint scar on his forehead was just visible from beneath his bangs. I reached out a hand and ran my finger over it.

"Yeah, well I got an earful of your 'creative virtue' one night while I was picking parsley by the stump."

Jenks blushed beet red and I moved my fingers down to pinch his cheek. He turned his head and nipped at my hand and I pulled back and rolled to my knees.

"Come on. The soups probably ready and I want to get that movie started before Ivy comes home and decides she doesn't want to watch it."

That same something passed behind Jenks eyes but he took the hand I offered and pulled himself off the floor.

An hour later we were sprawled on the couch with full stomachs and a movie running on screen. Jenks had his head in my lap and I was twirling his curls between my fingers when the phone rang.

"Hello?" There was a muffled sentence like someone had put there hand over the receiver then the sound cleared and Ivy spoke.

"Hey, freckles." I cringed at the pet name she'd started using for me but let it go. It made her happy. "I know I said I'd be home early but it looks like plans have changed."

There were several banging sounds and what might have been a very loud curse but I just wasn't up on my profanity. It was a little past my ability to decipher. It hadn't sounded very good though.

"Do you need any help? Things don't sound so good over there." Jenks stirred in my lap and I held a finger over his lips to silence him.

"No, no. It's nothing we can't handle. It's just going to be a little more invasive than we thought."

Another crash and several more curses. Someone yelled duck and I heard the wind whistle over the phone.

"_Will someone get her away from the house plants!"_ came a male scream. "I have to go." Ivy said with some irritation. "My sister is going ape shit and I have to hose her down!"

"_Like hell you will!!"_ screamed a much younger female voice.

I chuckled and resumed my hair twirling, letting Jenks know everything was alright.

"You take care of business. Jenks and I will be find something to entertain ourselves."

I could hear Ivy smile over the phone. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I pressed the end button and put the phone on the side table.

"Family trouble?" Jenks asked with an odd note in his voice.

"Her sister. Seems she's using potted plants as missiles."

"Poor plants." Jenks replied in mock distress.

I laughed and felt him stiffen a little in my lap as my fingers brushed up against his ears.

"Jenks?" I looked down to find him staring directly into my face with a look I hadn't seen in a while.

"What are we going to entertain ourselves with? The movies only two hours." He asked.

I smiled. I just had to.

"What did you have in mind?"

I watched him lick his lips, turning them slightly red. His skin shown with tiny sparkles too small to be glitter as he lifted his arm and wrapped it around my neck. I stared into his eyes as he pulled me down; the most beautiful spring green I'd ever seen mixed with the alluring scent of leaves and bark. And I thought I it had to be the most exotic and intoxicating scent in the world, right before he kissed all the thought out of my head.

**Yes. I know. I left you hanging. Don't be alarmed. I'm not skipping the lemon. Just consider this the appetizer before the main course. Please review. I'd tell you to read but if you're reading this then you already have.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I know it's been a while. Sorry about that. A lot has been going on his September. Anyway, hope you enjoy the next chapter and I'll try not to make it so long between updates next time.**

"Are you blushing?"

I was bent almost in half over him, our lips only having parted moments before. I'd have thought he was flush from the heat of the kiss but it hadn't been that heated and the look on his face screamed embarrassment.

"No." He started to sit up and I pressed a hand to his chest to hold him still. "I'm not blushing I just..."

"You _are_ blushing!" I grinned and traced the high color of his cheeks and ears. "That is so cute."

He growled at me. I started laughing. He pushed up narrowly missing my head and stood from the couch.

"Jenks." I called as he stiffly headed for the door. "Jenks, wait." He kept right on moving.

"Just forget it." He grumbled over his shoulder then disappeared around the corner.

I sighed and sat up. Obviously I'd hit a nerve though for the life of me I couldn't think what it was. Here we were having a wonderful kiss and possibly more and he gets all flustered and blushes. I didn't think I'd said or done anything to cause that but then...

"Jenks?" He didn't answer. The sound of a door opening and shutting came from the back and as I heard the sound of footsteps I knew he'd gone to the attic.

I stood and walked swiftly to the flight of stairs that lead to the attic room we'd built. Not that Jenks used it much but it was still nice to have for visitors or when one of us just wanted privacy. The _Do Not Disturb _sign was on the door as I reached it. I ignored it and turned the knob that wasn't locked. He didn't really want me out.

"Jenks?" I tried again as I moved up the stairs and into the large open space.

A large feather mattress lay spread on the floor in the far corner of the room. Sheets spread over the surface in a sea of blues and greens that suited the newly painted sienna red walls. The small chest and dresser were polished mahogany, the floors stained the same color. Only a deep green area rug broke up all the brown. The room looked like a garden at sunset with all the plants stationed close to points of light and skylights letting in the moons rays. It fit Jenks.

"Sorry about that." Jenks voice came from a small stand of sleeping grass plants.

"Sorry about what?" I closed the door behind me and walked over, dropping on the floor next to him.

He touched the leaves and we watched them close then open as his hand left them. The sensitive plant was hard to grow, as were most of the plants in here, but Jenks could make anything grow with a simple touch. Not every pixie could claim such a skill.

"I shouldn't be making passes at you while your girlfriend is taking care of family business. I'm sure it's a breach in the social laws of some society." He explained with a fresh blush.

I had to laugh a little. He was so cute when he blushed. "Do you think I would have kissed you if it were a problem?"

His blush didn't fade but the smile started to. He ran a finger down the fern-like leaves of the plant and let them close over his fingers before slowly sliding the digits loose. It was a natural reaction of the plant but the way he was doing it was vaguely naughty. I wondered if he realized it.

"I don't need charity, Rache. You and Ivy aren't obligated to take care of me in every aspect of my life."

He was deceptively calm as he said it but I heard the hurt behind it. Though some of it was pride I was pretty sure not all of it was.

"I don't give charity. I don't make that kind of cash. And I don't consider you or any part of you life my obligation to take care of. You've made your own bed. You get to lay in it. It's your choice if you invite me in or not." And then I had a thought. "Or is it Ivy you'd rather invite?"

He stiffened a little and I knew I'd touched on some truth. I moved a little closer to lay a hand on his thigh.

"You can tell me, you know. It won't hurt my feelings."

He didn't respond but he didn't move my hand either. Score one for Rachel.

"Would it help if I told you we'd talked about this?" His eyes cut to the side and narrowed in warning. "And we don't like the idea of sharing you. Seems we're greedy and want you all to ourselves. Besides, I'm not so sure Ivy wouldn't kill any other woman in the house. She's not that versatile."

His eyes moved back to the plant and a small smile crept onto his face. He lifted his hand once more to the plant but I caught it before it could reach. The leaves curled slightly at the mild wind my quick moved had made then unrolled again as I slowly brought his hand to my own hip.

"I may not have her chest but I promise I have it where it counts." I leaned in a little closer, excitement at the prospect of seducing Jenks into bed making me light headed. Who says dreams can't come true. "I'm willing to share if you are."

"You're the best friend I've ever had. I don't want to screw that up." He whispered as he leaned in closer.

"Don't all lovers start out as friends?" I asked.

"No." His lips were a breath away from mine and I wanted nothing more than to kiss him. "Only the ones that work."

"Then lets make it work." I filled the last of the space between us and pressed my lips to his.

No ones lips should be that soft and taste that good. He was sweet and woods and so unbelievably supple. I'd never been with a man so very male and yet so yielding. The thought that he was technically only nineteen and therefore just past jail-bait enter my mind for a moment only to be erased by the slide of his velvet soft tongue over my lips.

"The floor is hard." He whispered against my cheek then pulled away and crawled toward the feather bed in the corner.

My mouth watered at the sight of his very fine butt rolling under expensive linen that stretched tight to show every small quiver as his knees jolted him against the hard floor. I didn't move as he put one hand on the down mattress and turned his head and shoulders to look at me. _If I'm asleep, _I thought, _may I stay comatose for the rest of eternity._ His large green eyes with their slight tilt and the soft almost childlike slope of his cheek only made the innocent look on his face seem more sensual. There wasn't a Playgirl that would pass up the captured image of Jenks as he dropped one hip to the bed, his legs stretched one over the other on the floor, forward shoulder slumped with the arm in front of his chest, and his head with that oh so innocent face tilted in question.

"Are you coming?" He asked as he started to smile.

Every nerve ending in my body caught fire. "As a matter of fact, I think I am." I was pretty sure I'd come twice already just watching him crawl across the floor. Shaking off a little of the adrenaline kick I was already feeling, I stood and walked to the bed. There was something so mesmerizing and erotic about standing over this man as he lifted only his head to look up at me.

"Do you have any idea how delicious you look like this?" I had to lick my lips as I asked.

"Yes." His smile was pure sin.

I dropped over him and crawled with him as he slid into the bed. The fine tremors rolling through his muscles telling me he wasn't nearly as controlled and confident as he made himself out to be. He settled back and braced his hands against my hips to pull me down. For a moment he seemed hesitant as his thumbs circled the fabric of my jeans then I rocked once and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Been a while?" I leaned over him to breath in the earthy scent of him.

"Yes." His voice strangled as I rocked again. "Maybe... I should be... on top."

"In a minute." I lowered my mouth to his.

I'd dreamed of kissing Jenks but nothing compared to the reality. He really was very good. His lips soft and plump. His tongue sheer velvet. Even his breath smelled sweet.

"I don't know if I'll last a minute." He choked out as he broke the kiss. The blush was back.

"Don't worry. You have plenty of time to make it up to me."

He groaned as I sat up and pulled my shirt over my head. As badly as his hands were trembling I didn't think he'd be able to do more than hold on for the ride. I'd forgone the bra today since I wasn't going out and the moment the shirt cleared my head his hands swept from hips to nipples in less time than I could take in a breath. I arched for him and he tightened his grip just a little. His hands were calloused from sword use and hard work. I loved the rough feel and had to moan just a little for him.

"Do that again." He whispered as he squeezed once more with added pressure.

I moaned again and leaned over for another kiss. He obliged and his grin against my lips had me smiling in return. A drop of perspiration rolled from his hairline down his temple to settle in the curve of his ear. I leaned close and whispered over the wet line.

"Your sweating."

He shivered and his hands convulsed. I rocked against him again and he jumped and twitched. Reaching out with my tongue and caught the drop and slid it across my tongue. It was sweet. Not just sweet but sugar and honey sweet. I breathed in and realized his sweat soaked skin smelled like clover honey and sugar cane. I moved to his mouth, his upper lip lightly dewed, and licked. It was like licking rock candy. Every pass of the tongue was so sweet it was sinful.

"R-r-rachel..." He breathed, moving restlessly.

"In a minute." I rolled my tongue over his forehead, the side of his nose, the dent of his chin and worked my way down his throat to his collarbone. His hairline was damp and I passed my lips across it, rolling his head and little to reach the back. He was panting and whimpering by the time I reached his chest and licked at each of his small nipples in turn.

"Shit... ah... Rache!" His back arched off the bed when I lifted his arm and licked my way from fingers to wrist to elbow. There was no hair anywhere on Jenks body and the taste of sugar and honey was so intoxicating I lifted his arms above his head to lick the hollowed pit beneath. He cried out for me then and I smiled at his lack of self restraint before moving to the other arm. When he went it was going to be glorious.

"So so sweet... no one should taste like this." I murmured from somewhere in the region of his bellybutton.

"I don't ... know how you taste." He rasped and I lifted my head to look at the flushed pained expression on his face.

"You can taste me later."

"Oooh, fuck me..." He groaned in afterthought.

"I'm getting to it." My hands slid beneath the waistband of his pants and I felt him hold his breath as I ran then to his back and slowly eased the linen down his hips. I made absolutely sure to cover as much of his impossibly gorgeous ass with my palms as I did so. As the pants swept past his hip bones I was smacked in the chin by his extremely hard and extremely red penis. No that's not the word I was looking for. This was a cock. At least five and a half inches it was three fingers thick from head to root. The skin was darkened nearly burgundy with color and hard to the point of looking painful. The idea that he'd run around with something like this trapped inside tight jeans for well over six months made me ache. I reached out a hand to touch the dripping tip only to have it pulled up short in a more than firm grip.

"Don't..." He ground out of clenched teeth. A breath later he licked his red lips, his hand convulsing around my wrist. "and don't use your mouth... I can't take it."

I watched his face as I rubbed my cheek over the side of him. His eyes closed and he gave a choked cry dropping his head back down into the pillows.

"Just a little more, I promise." I kissed each of his fingers until he released my wrist then lowered my mouth to his hipbone and nipped at the damp skin. Little yelps bounced him on the bed and I moved down one leg, across his foot and to the other. Taking the pants with me. When I'd made my circuit I sat back on my knees and popped the button on my jeans.

He seemed to gain some of his composure as I lowered the zipper. He rolled to his knees in one fluid motion and stopped my hands on the waistband.

"I'll do it." He whispered and slid his hands beneath the denim and my panties to grip my butt and lifted me against his chest. He lowered his mouth to my neck and bit down on the cords. A pulse of pleasure shot from his mouth to my groin that had nothing to do with vampire bites and pheromones and everything to do with mounting anticipation. The jeans slid down my hips and one of his hands slipped between my thighs to press as far inside as the possition would allow.

"OhGod!!" My back arched pushing my lower body toward his. I felt his shoulders shake and thought he was laughing but when he lifted his head his jaw was clenched tight.

"I'll barely get off two strokes with you this tight." He growled.

"Then make them good." And then I was on my back. His hand transferred to the front and I felt his fingers moved forcefully, trying to make room that only time was repetition were going to make. The other stripped my jeans and tossed them on top of his pants at the side of the bed. "What are you waiting for?"

His hands were shaking and his golden locks, the only hair he owned, were dripping wet and hanging in his eyes. He brushed them back with his free hand and removed the other from me. Those fingers were slick as he gripped my hip and dropped to one elbow over me.

"I wanted this to be longer." His lips hovered just above mine.

"You act like this will be the last time." I said and tried to lean into the kiss.

"I just..." He tried to pull back but I grabbed the back of his head and forced my lips to his. After a moment he subsided and opened his mouth. The kiss was long and urgent and tasted some much like desperation I could barely stand it.

"There will be other nights, Jenks." I whispered as I broke the kiss. "And tonight isn't done."

I raised my hips in invitation. He lowered his head to my shoulder and tightened his grip on my hip before sliding his hand between us. I felt him moving across my skin then I felt the tip of him press against me. I widened my legs just before he drove his hips forward in one hard, swift stroke.

I've never come so loud in my life.

**Yes, I know that ended at an odd moment. Don't worry. I won't take as long to update the next now that I have the rhythm of the story back again. Hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


	24. Chapter 24

**I know it's been a while and I also know the reason. Sadly, I'm stalled. This story is very very near the end and though I have had a little trouble trying to meat it all out, for the most part it's ready to end. And I really am sad about it. So I hope you enjoy this rather short chapter. It's not the last. Not yet. But I hope to make the last chapter good.**

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"I still can't believe you didn't wait for me." Ivy pouted from her perch on the counter.

I had my spell pot sitting in the center of the kitchen island. Ivy had decided she could vent while I worked since it was the only time I'd been still for the past week. I was nearly done with this case. Tonight was the last night. But Ivy couldn't wait.

"All you had to do was call and I'd have come home. But no. You had to let me take care of my 'family issues' while you got all the hot pixie ass!"

I rolled my eyes as I added the next ingredient to the pot.

"I didn't do it on purpose and I'm not sure he was ready for the full treatment to begin with." I cut eyes to her, trying not to smile at her puffed up lips.

She'd been pouting since she'd come home the next morning and found Jenks and I tangled in a heap on the feather bed in the attic. She looked so upset Jenks actually thought she was angry at him and didn't come near her for two days. It took a lot of explaining to convince him she was only upset she hadn't been here for the fun. Somehow, I think that might have made things worse.

"Stupid pixie and his stupid hang-ups." She muttered and hopped down to open the refrigerator.

I smiled as I added the last of the ingredients to the simple spell and put on the finishing touches. Just a simple sleep charm for a very special cheating husband. What a wonderful world.

"Rachel? Are you here?" Davids voice sounded for the front of the church.

"In the kitchen!" I yelled.

I heard footsteps on stone then scraping as he moved into the hall. I was just putting putting the last drop of blood in the pot when he came into the room. His eyes went from me to the pot on the counter.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."

"Oh, don't worry about this. I can do these with my eyes shut." I moved away from the pot and lean against the counter though still in the circle.

David eyed Ivy from across the room. She'd pulled the orange juice from the frig and was pouring a glass while scowling.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

I smiled and started to answer when suddenly she turned around and glared at me.

"She screwed Jenks and didn't have the decency to wait for me." She growled then took herself and her juice and sauntered past the now red faced and coughing werewolf.

Sadly, I wasn't much better. My face heated along with my ears and probably every other inch of me. Jenks decided at that moment to open his door and yawn loudly, only making David and I blush harder. When he walked into the room and patted David on the back he gave him a second look.

"Are you alright, Dave? You look like you've got a fever or something."

"Ah... no... no, I'm fine." David shifted out of the way.

Jenks shrugged and walked into the kitchen. All at once, the buzzing of tiny dragonfly wings filled the room. Jenks children we up and moving. And talking. Very quickly and very loudly.

"What were you doing last night, Dad?" One of the older boys asked. It sounded a lot like he was smiling but I couldn't be sure with the high pitch of his voice.

Jenks, however, turned red. And now we were all standing in a room full of pixies with bright red faces. And to make matters worse, Ivy had heard the last statement and was now reclining in the doorway.

"What were you doing last night, Jenks? While I was out working to pay my rent." Her voice was deceptively sweet.

"I was... spending time with Ms. Morgan." He addressed his children, not Ivy.

"We you okay? There was a lot of yelling." One of the younger pixies called from somewhere in the hanging pots. The sound of his voice echoed off the metal, making his question ring loud and clear to the room.

"It was a loud discussion." Jenks hurried to answer as several of his older kids started to laugh.

I'd never thought he and Matalina hid their activities from their kids. I now knew they most definitely hadn't. My color went a little higher at the thought of any one of those little hellions ease dropping on what we had done last night.

"You did it again?!" Ivy yelled suddenly. "You left me out again?!"

"You weren't here." I pointed out.

David looked over the group and apparently decided to cut and run. He opened his mouth to speak then thought better of it and simply turned around and walked out. The loud thud of the front door closing cut into the awkward silence.

I could see the wheels turning in Ivys head. I could see the color draining from Jenks. I knew what the problem was but wasn't sure there was any good way to fix it. Jenks was afraid of exactly what sleeping with Ivy was going to mean. Not that he didn't want to. Watching him watch her walk across a room was an exercise in restraint. I'd nearly tackled him to the floor the moment the door had shut on her backside last night. He wanted her. But he wasn't sure he could handle what she would want in return.

"I'll be hear tonight." She said softly and just like that Jenks face when white. "Or do we needed to write out a schedule for when each of us gets Rachel? Since I have prior claim I think I should get at least four days a week."

I gaped at her. "What?!" Moving away from the counter to stand at the edge of the circle and put my hands on my hips. "Are you insane?! What makes you think I'll agree to something like that? I'm not a toy you can share! 'Oh, here Jenks. Have a go at her tonight. I'm off.' or 'Hey Ivy? Can I switch for the 5th? The third it my hair appointment.' Right! Like I'm gonna let THAT happen!"

I was fuming so badly that I missed Jenks laughter. What had surely started as a low chuckle had now erupted. Pixies went spinning around the room and then out the pixies holes into the garden. Ivy was smiling as she watched the man try and regain some control. I, on the other hand, was still angry.

"You don't get to laugh! I am NOT a piece of meat!"

"And for that I'm thankful." Jenks moved around the circle and smiled at me.

Ivy sighed and leaned with eyes closed against the wall. "If you don't want me there..."

"That's not it and you know it." We both turned to Jenks. The look he was giving my currently stunned girlfriend was so hot I thought my hair was smoking. "Wanting you is not the problem."

I felt the pheromones rising in the air and shivered. Ivys stunned face turned thoughtful then soft. But the moment she stepped away from the wall Jenks tensed. She stopped moving. Stopped stalking him and watched him for a moment. When it finally dawned on her what the problem was she did a little tensing of her own.

"You don't trust me." She stated sounding injured.

"It's not... you I don't trust." Jenks lowered his head. We'd talked about this. His lack of trust wasn't in Ivy. It was in his own reaction. He'd seen what she could do to me. To anyone bitten and not bound. He knew, and it scared him.

Ivy looked to me and we shared a moment of understanding. I'd dealt with the problem because I had no choice. Jenks still had the option of not being bitten. I still had this choice and he wasn't sure if he wanted to give it up.

"I can promise you I will not bite you tonight. If you want I'll promise not to bite you even if you beg for it." She moved a little closer to him. I was still standing in my circle. I wish I'd finished these spells before this conversation started. Jenks looked like he needed a hug and I really wanted to give it to him. And maybe a squeeze. In fact, they both looked very squeezable. I only had to do this one thing tonight and I'd be home early. Maybe I could get one on top and one on bottom and...

"I don't think I want you to go that far." Jenks looked uncomfortable. Glancing down, I realized why.

"Then what do you want me to do?" She moved a step closer.

The air was getting thick. I didn't think she noticed she was doing it. It was just instinct. But the only person truly feeling it was me. I was very close to walking out of this circle and tackling both of them to the floor.

"Can we talk about this tonight?" My voice was breathy and both of them looked to me. Jenks confused. Ivy embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Rachel." The air slowly became breathable again. I wasn't feeling light headed anymore at least.

I waved off her concern as Jenks clued in and looked at me with wide eyes. I smiled at him. The smile must of said exactly what I'd been thinking moments ago. His answering leer had me nearly stepping past the circle again.

"Alright! Everyone out! I've got spells to finish and debauchery to plan and you're in the way." Jenks laughed and Ivy raised a brow.

"Oh please share with us." She crooned in her silky gray voice.

"Later!" I shooed at them. Jenks went first with a waved and a backward glance and Ivys leather clad backside. Ivy stood there a moment, staring.

"What?"

She moved to the edge of the circle. Less than an inch separated our lips. She stared for a moment more, a look of longing crossing her features before the cool sexy smile returned.

"Hurry and finish that spell. I want a kiss before you go."

I let out a breath and wished the sinking feeling in the pit of my belly would stop sinking in THAT direction.

"Just a kiss." I whispered.

"Just a kiss." She breathed and turned to walk out the door.

I stood there for a moment, trying to remember why I was still in the kitchen, alone. When I finally had enough brain cells working to figure it out I quickly turned back to the spell pot and the splat balls. I wanted this done fast. Because 'just a kiss' to Ivy sometimes meant 'late to work' for me.

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**Again, sorry it's so short. But... lemons will be coming soon and I think some of you might be pleasantly surprised. I'll try to get another chapter up in less than a month this time. I might have to reread the books again. **


	25. Chapter 25

**As promised, here's the next chapter. Hope it's a good one.**

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I walked in the door wet, dirty and grinding my teeth until my jaw hurt. The run had been a disaster. I'd tracked the "cheating husband" to a small seedy hotel and was all ready to get the evidence I needed. Just a few quick pictures and if I was caught, the sleepy splat balls and a quick retreat. Simple and easy. Sure, only the husband wasn't cheating in the way his wife thought he was. I managed to make it out of the building before the demon talked the man into letting him out of the protective circle. When the building went up in flames I was half a block away and standing directly in front of the afore mentioned demon who's smile could rival a full moon. Only quick thinking and more luck than should be legal got him back inside a circle and sent on his merry way before he disintegrated the other half the block. And then the IS has shown up and I'd be subject to more questions and possible arrest before a witness from the alley had shown up to tell them exactly what he'd seen and how I'd "saved the day". Since the bum didn't have track marks, didn't smell of brimstone and apparently had been scared sober, I was off the hook.

I dropped my bag and dripping coat on the steps of the entrance way and peeled off my boots and ripped hose. Yes the night had been a complete bust and now I was faced with sleeping alone. I was sure Ivy had dragged Jenks to bed hours ago. And if I knew Ivy, he'd been dead tired and blissfully sleeping right now.

The soft sounds of the television filtered into the hallway and I moved toward the growing blue and white light trying to keep the squelching sound of my wet pants to a minimum.

"You can come in. We're up. At least I am."

Ivy's voice was soft but drifted into the hall and I looked around the corner to see her leaning comfortably into the arm of the couch. Jenks was settled between her legs and up against her belly. His eyes were closed and he looked for all the world like the teenager he was. If I didn't know there were fifty-some pixies in the back yard with many of his characteristics I'd swear he was an innocent college freshman. Well, okay, not so innocent with that wicked little smile on his lips.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Ivy's voice broke me out of my trance but I did NOT feel like sharing the evening with anyone. In answer and stripped the wet tank over my head and padded in bra and wet shorts over to the couch. Ivys eyes began to dilate almost the moment the wet material hit the floor and I smiled as I stopped next to Jenks limp body and shimmied out of my shorts.

"I don't want to talk about it."

She swallowed as the shorts went flying over her head and I used her robe, tossed over the back of the couch, to dry myself off. For a moment I wondered what it was doing on the back of the couch but didn't stop to ask since she was in no condition to answer.

"Rachel?"

"Yes, Ivy?"

She licked her red lips and a shudder ran up the arm she held out to me. I knew it was taking a lot of effort just to keep herself in the chair not to mention her need to jump and pin me at that moment. Wearing a vampires clothing was like running with the bulls. You never knew if you were going to get out alive. Every nerve in my body throbbed at the thought.

"You have five seconds."

It took one. My thighs straddled Jenks waist just below the ribs and the robe hid him from site as I leaned over him to take Ivy's lips. Her kiss was spicy like always and a moaned a little when her nails scrapped my hair from my neck.

"Closer."

A shiver ran through me and the bites deep below the surface of my skin throbbed in time with my heart beats. Her breath brushed my skin moments before her teeth did the same and I whimpered a little simply because it wasn't enough.

"Beg."

She breathed the word in my ear and a tear leaked from my scrunched eyes.

"_Oh God!" _

My skin felt tight and hot. The blood in my veins seemed to rise closer to the surface. The feel of Jenks below me, sleeping peacefully as my legs quivered and my body heated was just another jolt for the electric charge that made these small moments with Ivy so intense.

"What was that?"

I had to swallow twice before I could answer and even then it was a hoarse sound.

"_Please!"_

The slow sharp slide of her fangs into my skin clenched my stomach muscles and wet things a lot lower than my mouth. The satisfaction rolled off of her in waves. She loved the way I fell into her so easily. She loved the kick of my anticipatory fear. And the fact that I trusted her enough to let that take me anyway. A moment of soft contentment rolled between us both while our bodies pulsed and fought not to jostle the man between us.

Then she stiffened and I felt the first touch of large warm hands on my thighs.

"Jenks, we..."

Ivy stopped talking against my still bleeding skin and I felt the shudder run through her as Jenks shifted between us.

"Oh, don't mind me. I'll just entertain myself."

And then a hand swept up my inner thigh and straight into my underwear.

Ivy choked and I bit back a squeal. I knew that hand almost as well as I knew Ivy's or my own and it was currently wasting no time exploring the contents of my panties. Twin shudders gripped both Ivy and I as Jenks muffled chuckle floated up to us. I was all ready to bash him for faking sleep when Ivys mouth clamped over the wound she'd made and gave a long hard pull. It was my turn to choke while every nerve ending in my body flared with the billows of that assault followed by the swift sure movements of Jenks fingers along now super sensitive skin.

"Oh God... Oh God... Oh... Oh oh oh!!"

I heard Jenks muffled chuckle again and Ivys mouth pulled quickly from my neck. Her cheek lulled to the side as her breath shuddered in quick bursts against my hair.

"Jenks... shut the hell up... I can't..."

Jenks said something else as his hand made a sharp upward move and I felt the rush of adrenaline and euphoria at the same time Ivy screamed and choked on a violent if well satisfied sob. Her body flopped back onto the couch arm and I went with her, too exhausted and high on vamp pheromones to care where I fell. Jenks slipped from beneath us, giving my thigh a long lick as he passed that made my whole body shudder again.

"Ooooh... no yet... give me a minute."

He laughed at my pitiful protest and reached down to grab my wet shirt from the floor, lifting it to wipe his face and mouth.

"I can honestly say I've never done that before."

Jenks grin was bright and mischievous until Ivy spoke up.

"I have." She paused then smiled. "You were better."

The grinned turned smug and both of us groaned as the pixie gave himself a satisfied pat on the back. Ivy pulled my down into her lap and turned me so we both faced our friend and now lover. I took the opportunity to study the broad chest and golden skin beneath his open shirt front.

"I _would_ like to know how you were breathing in that position?"

He smiled beautifully and let the shirt drop from his shoulders.

"I'm very flexible."

His arms bent double back and touched at the elbow. I could hear Ivys tongue slide over her lips as she swallowed. I leaned back into her arms and watched him stretch his arms up over his head. The muscles in his torso stood out in stark relief against the darkened walls. A splash of sunshine in the middle of the night. Ivys breath quickened behind me and the sweet rush of pheromones began to filter through my system once again. Her arms came around me and pulled me in tighter to her chest. The thrill ran up my spine at her purring growl. Jenks watched us for a moment with a look of longing I'd not seen often on his face. In two quick strides he was on his, sliding one knee between my thighs as he moved to lean over us.

"So..." His breath was sweet with his own scent and the scent of Ivy. "When do I get mine?"

I turned in time to see Ivys eyes dilate to solid black. Her lips parted and her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth in a dry sound. A small drop of blood clung to the corner of her mouth and Jenks leaned in, his tongue flicking out to take the drop on the very tip and roll it back into his mouth. Ivy's eyes narrowed and I borrowed deeper into her shoulder. I knew that look.

"You get yours..." She leaned up bared her tiny fangs. Jenks smiled wavered just a little. "When I get mine."

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**I know this is short but I felt I owed you something for sticking with me so long. I promise something longer, juicier and much more citrus in the near future. Until then, enjoy!**


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